Ayotte disputes ICE claims about detention facility

(The Center Square) — New Hampshire Gov Kelly Ayotte is disputing a claim by a Trump administration official that she was told about plans for an immigration detention facility in the state.

Testifying before a congressional hearing Thursday, Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons told lawmakers that federal authorities had been in touch with Ayotte about plans to convert a 43-acre property in the Town of Merrimack into a regional ICE detention facility.

Lyons told New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan under questioning during the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing that Department of Homeland Security officials had shared an economic impact study of the facility with Ayotte. He didn't provide additional details about the interaction.

"This is simply not true," Ayotte fired back in a statement. "Director Lyons' comments today are another example of the troubling pattern of issues with this process. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security continue to provide zero details of their plans for Merrimack, never mind providing any reports or surveys."

But late Thursday, Ayotte's office announced that ICE had provided more details about the warehouse plans and posted them on the state's website for the public to review. 

More from this section

Movies and TV shows casting in Portsmouth

+5

How gas prices have changed in New Hampshire in the last week

Valentine's Day gifting trends in New Hampshire, according to Instacart data

Ayotte has repeatedly denied any knowledge about the planned ICE facility, saying she reached out to federal officials for information multiple times and received no details.

But documents obtained by the New Hampshire Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, released by the group last week, show the state Division of Historical Resources under DES was in discussions with ICE representatives for weeks, after DHS contacted the agency to inquire if the project was in compliance with federal historic preservation law.

The revelations prompted the resignation last week of Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Commissioner Sarah Stewart, who took “full responsibility” for failing to inform the governor but blamed the oversight on a lack of communication. 

Ayotte, a first-term Republican, has been largely supportive of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. She signed a law in May banning "sanctuary" policies and her administration has approved an agreement with ICE allowing state troopers to arrest and detain immigration suspects after they are trained and certified by federal officials. 

Members of the state's all-Democrat congressional delegation wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently, demanding that she provide more details about the proposed ICE detention facility.