Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) asked her Republican counterpart in New Hampshire to oppose a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Merrimack, NH
“I am demanding that Governor Ayotte do everything in her power to block a new ICE facility in southern New Hampshire,” Healey said in a Feb. 13 statement.
On Feb. 12, Gov. Kelley Ayotte (R) released her own statement denying comments made during a U.S. Senate committee hearing earlier that day by ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons alleging that federal officials discussed plans with her for the facility.
“This is simply not true,” Ayotte said in his statement. “Director Lyons’ comments today are another example of the troubling pattern of problems with this process. Department of Homeland Security officials continue to provide zero details of their plans for Merrimack, never mind providing any reports or surveys.”
Documents released through public records requests show that ICE notified state historic preservation officials on Jan. 9 that it was considering plans to “purchase, occupy and rehabilitate” a warehouse property at 50 Robert Milligan Parkway for ICE operations. The Homeland Security correspondence describes a potential scope that could include “interior modifications” to processing and waiting areas, administrative offices, restrooms, cafeterias and health care spaces, as well as exterior work such as fencing, cameras and access control features.
“This is outrageous and absolutely wrong for New Hampshire, Massachusetts and our entire region,” Healey wrote in his statement, adding that ICE wants to “stop their horrific deportation tactics in our communities. This will affect the people of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and our entire region. Enough is enough.”
Emails from ENR to Ayotte’s press office and ICE’s media relations department were not immediately returned.
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