CONCORD, NH – Controversy over internal handling of a request by the federal government regarding a proposed immigrant detention center in Merrimack has resulted in the resignation of the Commissioner of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources – who fielded the request, but did not notify the governor.
In a statement issued Feb. 9 by John Corbett, spokesman for Gov. Kelly Ayotte, Commissioner Sarah Stewart was asked to resign by Ayotte and did so, effective Monday.
“At the next meeting of the Executive Council, Governor Ayotte will nominate Adam Crepeau, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Services, to serve as Acting Commissioner while the search for a new Commissioner continues,” the statement read,
On Feb. 3 ACLU-NH released documents confirming Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s intention to create a warehouse for detaining immigrants in Merrimack. That led to an interrogation of Stewart by Ayotte and members of the Executive Council the next day.
During the Feb. 6 meeting, according to reporting by NHPR, Stewart said that ICE reached out to the Division of Historical Resources under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, which requires federal agencies to consult with the division about potential construction projects.
Stewart said she took full responsibility for not informing the governor about her department’s communication with the federal agency, which Ayotte called “a serious lapse of communication.” Steward also noted that such requests under Section 106 are considered “routine” but acknowledged that due to it’s potential for “public sensitivity,” the informational request, in hindsight, should have been elevated to the governor’s office.
Since the Washington Post initially reported on ICE’s plan in December, Gov. Ayotte has repeatedly denied having any knowledge about the proposal, saying she has reached out to federal officials multiple times and received no confirmation. During the Feb. 6 meeting with Stewart, Ayotte also was critical of the federal government’s management of the request.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable that the federal government has not provided more transparency on this,” she said.