Residents of Merrimack and people from across New Hampshire gathered in front of town hall in Merrimack Thursday to protest a draft plan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, that would establish an immigrant detainee processing site at a former industrial warehouse in town.
The cold January night did not deter a crowd from filling a parking lot next to town hall, singing, chanting, and brandishing signs against ICE and the Trump administration.
The event, which was organized two weeks ago by No ICE NH, also took place the day after an ICE agent killed a woman in Minneapolis.
The death of Renee Good was on the minds of many at the protest. People wore pink ribbons and carried white roses in her honor.
Becky Tancrede, a life-long Merrimack resident and high school social studies teacher, said she was shocked when she heard about Renee's death.
“After watching this administration going after individuals, citizens and people who are here that are undocumented, I just can't get over it,” Tancrede said. “And what happened in Minneapolis last night? It's too much for me. I had to come out.”
Tancrede said the issue has stirred up vitriolic debate among community members, especially online.
Vanessa Carlson, another Merrimack resident, said she felt compelled to come out because of the limits of online discussion.
“Clearly, Facebook comments aren't working,” she said.
Carlson, who is 20, said she has lived in the town since she was a freshman in high school, but only ever attended political events in bigger cities, like Concord or Boston. She said she was “impressed” by the turn-out in what she described as a “semi-small” town.
“It kind of proves something to somebody that residents of Merrimack disagree with what's happening,” she said.
The town has become an unexpected focal point in the debate over local autonomy and the Trump administration’s pursuit of mass deportation.
Town officials have said they were in the dark about the federal government’s intention to establish the ICE processing site, which could hold between 500 and 1,500 immigrant detainees at a time.
For elected officials of both parties, the move undermined what they see as Merrimack’s right to have a say over its own affairs.
“I absolutely am against this for the simple fact that this is federalism run amok,” said Republican State Rep. Bill Boyd. He also said a detention facility in Merrimack would give “a negative connotation” to the town.
"Even the thought of thinking that there could be a facility in our town is absolutely disgusting,” said Megan Burke, who's lived in Merrimack her whole life. “And I can't just sit by."
Merrimack was included in a draft plan from the Department of Homeland Security, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post, to purchase warehouses across the country for the purpose of holding more than 80,000 immigrant detainees at once.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the state has not heard from federal authorities about any plan to house detainees in Merrimack.
“I would expect, if this were a real plan, which I don’t know yet, because it’s been media speculation at this point, that there would be a process in which local members of the local community would have an opportunity to weigh in,” Ayotte told reporters on Wednesday. She also questioned who would staff such a facility, given long-standing staffing shortages at state correctional facilities.
The issue of a potential ICE facility was not on the town council meeting's agenda on Thursday, but residents spoke about it during the public comment period.
