CONCORD, NH – Governor Kelly Ayotte on Tuesday announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will not move forward with a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Merrimack.
“During my trip to Washington last week, I had productive discussions with Secretary Kristi Noem, and I’m pleased to announce that the Department of Homeland Security will not move forward with the proposed ICE facility in Merrimack,” said Governor Ayotte.
Ayotte attended the National Governor’s Association annual gathering at the White House last week, and says after relaying the concerns of NH citizens about the proposed ICE detention center, Homeland Security would not go forward with the plan.
“I thank Secretary Noem for hearing the concerns of the Town of Merrimack and for the continued cooperation between DHS and New Hampshire law enforcement to secure our northern border, keep dangerous criminals off our streets, and ensure our communities are safe.”
“I appreciated my discussions with Governor Ayotte last week,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. “From banning sanctuary cities to strengthening law enforcement cooperation, New Hampshire has been a strong partner in securing our country, and we look forward to continuing our work together.”
NH State Rep. Rosemarie Rung, D-Merrimack, who has been an outspoken critic of the ICE proposal, said she was “thrilled” with the news.
“This proves the power of the people is more powerful than the people in power, and pressure we put on governor worked. All those phone calls, emails and letters – I think she saw the writing on the wall that to represent her state she needed to get ICE out of New Hampshire,” Rung said minutes after the governor’s announcement.
“The polls have been clear that this is an issue that is going to cause massive losses for the Republicans in November. I see this decision as damage control for the Republican party, but that’s OK. I’m just glad that Merrimack will not have to suffer the financial and the humane costs of housing this warehouse.”
She was joined by fellow Democratic Merrimack State Representatives Nancy Murphy and Wendy Thomas in a joint statement.
“This outcome is a testament to what our community can accomplish when neighbors stand together, raise their voices, and insist that local values and local voices be respected in decisions that affect our town.
Over the past few months, the people of Merrimack made it clear that a large federal detention facility was not welcome here. Town meetings, organized rallies, personal conversations, and sustained advocacy demonstrated the deep, shared belief that our community should reflect our values — dignity, respect, and transparency — and that decisions this significant should never be made without meaningful public engagement.
We want to thank every resident who took the time to express their concerns, attend meetings, write letters, and link arms with neighbors from across New Hampshire. Your commitment to civic engagement made the difference.
We also recognize and thank the many supporters throughout our state and beyond who stood in solidarity with Merrimack. Your voices amplified our message and helped ensure it could not be ignored.
While today’s announcement is a victory, it also underscores the importance of continuing to protect our communities from proposals made without transparency or meaningful local input. We remain committed to working with state and federal partners to ensure that future decisions affecting New Hampshire towns are made with full public involvement and respect for our shared values.
This was a moment when people of goodwill came together to be on the right side of history — for Merrimack, for New Hampshire, and for the principle that communities should have a say in the decisions that shape their futures.
We are proud of what we accomplished together.”
Shortly after Ayotte’s announcement, Executive Councilor John Stephen released a joint statement on behalf of fellow Republican councilors Dave Wheeler, and Joe Kenney in support of Ayotte’s decision.
“ICE is doing critical work to keep New Hampshire communities safe by identifying and deporting criminal illegal aliens. We want to thank Governor Ayotte and the New Hampshire State Police for their close cooperation with federal immigration authorities — that partnership is making a real difference for public safety in our state,” Stephen wrote.”
“We also appreciate the decision not to move forward with the proposed facility in Merrimack. Governor Ayotte deserves credit for her leadership on this issue, working directly with ICE to advocate for New Hampshire’s interests while ensuring that immigration enforcement continues effectively,” he wrote.
Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington, a Democrat who recently announced her campaign for governor, issued the following response.
“For weeks, Kelly Ayotte cowered in the corner office and refused to stand up to Donald Trump’s human warehouse — even as the people of Merrimack made it loud and clear they do not want this detention center in their community. Granite Staters had to take to the streets — and I was proud to join them — to get Kelly Ayotte to listen.
“Now, Kelly needs to have the guts to say what I have said from the start: NO ICE human warehouse anywhere in New Hampshire. If Kelly Ayotte and Kristi Noem are looking for a new New Hampshire location, they should stop right now.”
Devon Chaffee, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, also weighed in on the announcement, saying, “Through protest, letter writing, phone calls, and more, Granite Staters made their voices overwhelmingly clear–and our federal, state, and local lawmakers listened, acted, and ultimately prevented such a horrifying facility from being created in New Hampshire. Since the beginning of 2026, eight people have died in ICE custody. We will continue to fight against any effort to bring such facilities to our state.”
U.S. Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-NH, released the following statement on Tuesday:
“The reports that ICE has canceled its half-baked, dangerous, and un-American plan to commandeer an industrial building in New Hampshire to warehouse human beings are a good and important development. It was made possible by patriots in every corner of New Hampshire who spoke up clearly from day one: we do not want ICE using our taxpayer dollars to fund a shadowy plan that undermined our local communities, eviscerated public trust, imperiled public safety, and threatened economic growth in the midst of a full-blown affordability crisis.
“Our work is far from over, and I will not quit in the fight here in Congress to advance commonsense legislation that will rein in and prevent the chaos ICE is fueling in our communities, including by mandating the transparency and accountability that local communities across New Hampshire need and deserve over any and every decision to develop federal facilities in our state.”
U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan also released a statement. However she did not acknowledge Ayotte, but rather pointed to her interaction with ICE Director Todd Lyons during a Feb. 12 senate hearing as the catalyst for the reversal by ICE on the Merrimack detention center during which Hassan told Lyons that he should cancel the plans because the town did not want it.
“DHS’s reported cancellation of its plan for an ICE facility in Merrimack is a direct result of Granite Staters speaking up and pushing back on this Administration’s lack of transparency, refusal to coordinate with the community, and actions that would make the town of Merrimack less safe,” Hassan said Tuesday. “I applaud all those who have made their opposition to this facility clear, and will continue to join Granite Staters in pushing for secure borders, an immigration system consistent with our American values, and to ensure that this Administration works with communities, including on any future plans it may develop for ICE facilities in our state.”
In her statement Hassan also noted that the entire NH Congressional delegation had sent a letter in January urging Noem to acknowledge and respond to concerns raised by the Merrimack Town Council regarding reports that ICE was planning to establish a new processing center in the town.