Project Delivery
Proposed ICE Detention Center in New Hampshire Draws Criticism from Massachusetts Governor
N.H. Gov. Kelley Ayotte denies federal officials contacted her about the project
An aerial view shows the roughly 324,000-sq-ft Class A logistics warehouse at 50 Robert Milligan Parkway in Merrimack, N.H., proposed by federal officials for adaptive reuse, though no local permits or construction teams have been identified.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey (D) called on her New Hampshire Republican counterpart to oppose a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Merrimack, N.H.
“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.
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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 her statement. “Director Lyons’ comments today are another example of the troubling pattern of issues with this process. Officials from the Dept. of Homeland Security continue to provide zero details of their plans for Merrimack, never mind providing any reports or surveys.”
Documents released through public-records requests show 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. Homeland Security correspondence outlines a potential scope that could include “interior modifications” for processing and holding areas, administrative offices, bathrooms, cafeterias and health-care spaces, as well as exterior work such as fencing, cameras and access-control features.
“This is outrageous and absolutely the wrong move for New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and our entire region,” Healey wrote in her statement, adding that ICE wants to “supercharge their horrific deportation tactics in our communities. This will impact people in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and across our region. Enough is enough.”
ENR’s emails to Ayotte’s press office and ICE’s media relations department were not immediately returned.
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