O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
At the cusp end of countless snowstorms in a winter which reminded us of winters in years past, a dozen people sit and share food, cultures and experiences which are varied, but all intersect in a town called Auburn, New Hampshire.
The group is composed of representatives from local advocacy nonprofits, the Auburn Dems and concerned residents of the town. An article surfaced on Manchester InkLink around January 15th which illuminated a chilling fact; that the Auburn Police Chief Charles Chabot chose to throw Auburn’s Police Department into a partnership with the federal department called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The partnership was a shock to many townspeople as it was not so customary to make large moves for the townspeople without public notice, comment and gathering a general consensus. The minute notes of the 287g integration is documented in an 18 minute police commissioner meeting on January 13th, 2026. The video can be found here at minute 3:55. It was a very brief announcement, ‘if you run into someone who’s not supposed to be here, you have something to do with ‘em,’ the chief mentions. Commissioner Bergeron states, ‘that’s awesome,’ while Commissioner Dion attempts to get some clarity regarding the scope of work for the 287g integration, with Chief Cabot mentioning that the partnership allows them to detain, ‘people running amok.’
After speaking with advocacy organizations including the Granite State Organizing Project and local Democratic and Independent Committees, the group has discovered that the Police Department was never not able to pull people into custody who are ‘running amok.’ The police have always had the authority to detain individuals who are acting unlawfully. What this partnership does allow the PD to do is detain individuals who are suspected of a status violation.
99% of individuals kidnapped or detained by ICE who are detained are status offenders, not violent criminals. The methods in which this partnership was secured and the scope of work Auburn’s Police Department are committing to are not clear.
How does a police officer, looking at a car with a driver, know whether the individual is a status offender? Will they stop this person because they look like, to quote Police Chief Cabot, an ‘illegal alien?’ What does an ‘illegal alien’ look like? We often think about the MIB movie, where a myriad of aliens from out of Earth’s orbit come to Earth to find sanctuary. Are these the types of aliens Chief Cabot is thinking of?
In a recent Board of Selectmen Minute’s for February 9th, it was brought to the attention of the Selectmen that there is a correlation between this extra work taken on by the police department and an increase in police budget in order to hire an additional full time police officer. The correlation brought forth by a Mrs. Safarzadeh, notes her feelings regarding her safety and was told promptly that the Police Chief does not report to the Selectmen, but to the Police Commissioners; David Dion, Patrick Bergeron and Joseph Rossino as well as the Town Administrator, Chris Sterndale.
Conclusively, the small group of 12 individuals who began this journey together, are moving forward with obtaining clarity and accountability for several questions they will put to the Selectmen and the Police Commissioners.
Those interested are urged to attend a meeting scheduled for March 15, 7 p.m., at Auburn town hall.
Send any questions or comments to the Auburn Dems at auburndemsnh@gmail.com
