Gov. Ayotte Halts ICE Warehouse Plan After Merrimack Backlash
Plans for a proposed ICE detention facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire, will not move forward, Gov. Kelly Ayotte confirmed this week after discussions with federal officials.
The decision follows weeks of protests and sharp warnings from town leaders who said the warehouse-style facility would strain local police and emergency services while reducing property tax revenue by nearly $530,000 annually.
According to the New Hampshire Morning Report, the federal government halted the project after Ayotte traveled to Washington and met with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Ayotte said she thanked Noem for hearing Merrimack’s concerns and highlighted ongoing cooperation between DHS and state law enforcement.
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No formal cancellation order has been publicly released, and Noem did not detail whether the facility could be relocated elsewhere in New Hampshire.
“It’s good news for Merrimack,” Town Manager Paul Micali said.
The announcement came one day after New Hampshire’s all-Democratic congressional delegation introduced legislation that would block DHS from opening new detention facilities without local consent. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey responded “Good” on social media following the cancellation, underscoring the regional political tension surrounding the proposal.
Similar ICE warehouse projects have recently been withdrawn in Missouri and Mississippi after local opposition, according to reporting.
For now, the Merrimack proposal appears shelved, but DHS has not announced broader changes to its regional detention strategy.