OSSIPEE — Petitioned Article 26, recommending that the police department end its 287(g) contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, passed 75-56 at the March 12 town meeting.
The article had been petitioned by Joshua Arnold and others. Collaborating with ICE, he said, “sets a bad precedent. We’re saying we’re going to act as federal agents. There’s a lot of federal agencies out there. Where do we draw the line?”
However, immediately after the vote, Police Chief Donald Babbin said he would “absolutely” not terminate the contract.
In pushing to continue the town’s contract with ICE, he mentioned one very specific case, noting that the agreement to help remove a dangerous individual from the community.
Court records show that man to be a 35-year-old Salvadoran named Martin Obando Mineros.
According to an ICE fact sheet, there are three ways local police can assist ICE. The Jail Enforcement Model “allows your officers to identify and process removable aliens who have pending or active criminal charges.” The Task Force Model Warrant Service Officer Program “allows your officers to identify and report suspected aliens not charged with crimes (under ICE oversight) and exercise limited immigration authority on ICE-led task forces. And the Warrant Service Officer Program “allows your officers to serve and execute administrative warrants on aliens in your custody.”
Babbin said his department operates under the task force model. He said a domestic violence suspect who had violated a court order and presented fraudulent identification — later identified as Obando Mineros — was arrested by Ossipee officers. After contacting ICE, Babbin said they learned the man was wanted in El Salvador.
“We have made one arrest under 287(g), and it was a guy that was wanted for homicide out of El Salvador,” Babbin said, framing the program as a practical tool that can uncover serious criminal histories not immediately apparent at the local level.
On Oct. 8, Obando Mineros, 35, who had been living in Tuftonboro, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Ossipee Circuit Court on Oct. 8 for making a loud or unreasonable noise in a public place on Sept. 1 at 10:50 p.m.
The complaint filed by Assistant County Attorney Meredith Dedoploulos did not describe what the noise was or where it was made.
Court records show a charge of domestic violence simple assault against Obando Mineros was dropped. The charge said he threw car keys at a woman’s face on Sept. 1, 2025, at 10:50 p.m. This criminal complaint was filed by Tuftonboro Police Sgt. Thomas Lafavre.
As part of a plea deal, Judge Elizabeth Paine gave Obando Mineros a $620 fine suspended for two years and a no-contact order with the victim and ordered that he leave New Hampshire within 24 hours and never return.
Public defender Jacob Watts represented Obando Mineros, who required a translator. A call to Watts was not returned as of press time.
Later in September, Obando Mineros was charged with two counts of violating a protective order for allegedly texting the woman. A criminal complaint filed by Dedoploulos on Sept. 26 said he texted the woman on the afternoon of Sept. 2.
Another complaint filed on Sept. 3 by Ossipee Patrol Officer Asa Osgood said Obando Mineros violated a protective order by sending the woman text messages on Sept. 2.
Dedoploulos dropped both those charges as part of the Oct. 8 plea agreement.
During the Oct. 8 hearing, Judge Paine said, “The court does note that there could be immigration consequences for your plea today.” She didn’t elaborate. The hearing took about 10 minutes.
A police report provided by Babbin says on the afternoon of Oct. 8, Cpl. William French drove Obando Mineros from Carroll County Jail to Strafford County Jail at ICE’s request. French booked Obando Mineros in Strafford County Corrections, then left.
On Thursday, the Sun called Strafford County Corrections Department and was told Obando Mineros was not there. The Sun emailed ICE’s media team and received no response as of Monday.
The Sun asked Carroll County Attorney Keith Blair if he knew of Obando Mineros’ whereabouts. Blair replied: “The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not provide my office with any updates on its involvement after the the case is closed. I do not have any information to provide.”
The Sun also called the clerk’s Office of the U.S. District Court District of New Hampshire and a staff person said there wasn’t a file for Obando Mineros.
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