Local and state officials expressed shock and relief that the federal government is scrapping plans for an ICE detention facility in Merrimack, following Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s announcement Tuesday.
Ayotte said the decision followed a meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem last week. In her statement, she thanked Noem for “hearing the concerns for the Town of Merrimack.”
NHPR asked Ayotte a series of questions about her conversation with Noem and if the governor opposed a future ICE facility in the state. In a response, Ayotte’s spokesperson said, “No one is working harder than Governor Kelly Ayotte for the people of New Hampshire."
The proposed ICE detention facility stirred controversy since the plan was first reported in late December. The federal government’s plans surprised both the town of Merrimack and Ayotte. It eventually led to the forced resignation of a department commissioner for failing to share correspondence with ICE, and accusations between federal immigration leadership and Ayotte over communication about the facility.
Merrimack town manager Paul Micali said the issue weighed heavily on residents' minds over the past few months.
“To say I'm ecstatic is an understatement,” he said.
Emails and calls from constituents about the topic had been filling up Micali's inbox and voicemail since December. Town leadership took a formal stand in January, telling Noem in a letter it was opposed to the proposal.
“A lot of our resources have been directed towards the ICE facility and trying to figure out next steps and whether the information is accurate,” he said. The town said it repeatedly reached out to federal immigration authorities trying to gather more information, but never received a direct response.
Micali praised Ayotte and the elected officials representing the town, many of whom reached out to the Trump administration on the town’s behalf.
“This is democracy in action,” he said.
He said his office can now return to focusing on other issues like the town budget and public works projects.
Multiple protests were organized to oppose the proposed detention facility. New Hampshire’s congressional delegation had also announced federal legislation that would require local and state consultation before ICE builds new detention centers.
State Rep. Bill Boyd, a Republican from Merrimack, had previously reached out to DHS voicing his opposition to the facility, citing economic and infrastructure concerns.
“This community has fought giants and has come out victorious,” he said. “And it's just a testament to my neighbors and local leadership and the state leaders for taking a stand.”
Laurene Allen, who has lived in the town for decades and has been at the vanguard of PFAS activism in the community, said that Merrimack residents responded to the news like they did when they learned their town’s water had been contaminated.
“Our community wasn't going to just sit back and say, yeah, it's fine… People were vigilant. People did their own research, same as we did with PFAS,” she said.
Plans for other ICE sites across the country have also been scrapped, following local opposition.
