Senators move to block ICE detention centers without local approval

New Hampshire’s two U.S. senators are introducing legislation that would prevent the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from establishing immigration detention centers without first securing approval from local officials and the state’s governor.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, both Democrats, cite DHS efforts to purchase and convert a warehouse in Merrimack, New Hampshire, into an ICE detention facility. They say state and local officials were not consulted.

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Opposition in New Hampshire

Shaheen wrote on her website that rumors about a proposed ICE facility in Merrimack went unanswered for more than a month, accusing DHS of providing unsatisfactory responses or ignoring requests for information.

“Granite Staters deserve answers about what the federal government is planning in New Hampshire,” she said.

According to The Washington Post, the legislation would also require a 30-day public comment period before DHS could move forward with a new facility.

Resistance spreads beyond New Hampshire

Opposition to new detention centers is not limited to one state, however.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has publicly opposed plans for a detention facility in the state.

“I don’t think this is helpful to have in our community,” Shapiro said this month. “I don’t want it here, and we’re exploring what options we have.”

Republicans in Congress approved $45 billion last year for immigration enforcement and detention as part of legislation signed by President Donald Trump. While many GOP lawmakers support the administration’s broader immigration agenda, some Republicans have objected to facilities proposed in their own districts.

Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., raised concerns after DHS purchased buildings in his district with plans to convert them into a detention center.

“These recent developments have raised serious concerns, and I share many of the same questions being raised by local officials and residents,” he told The Post.

Mississippi seems to get a pass

In Mississippi, Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican, said he contacted DHS Secretary Kristi Noem about a proposed facility in Marshall County. Wicker said Noem agreed to look elsewhere after he relayed opposition from local officials.

Hassan later referenced Wicker’s intervention during a Senate hearing, telling acting ICE Director Todd Lyons she expected similar consideration for Merrimack. “I would hope that I would get the same treatment that Senator Wicker got” Hassan said. “And I would expect that my partisan affiliation shouldn’t make any difference to that determination.”

Lyons said DHS had provided New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte with an economic impact summary of the proposed $158 million project. Ayotte disputed that account, saying the material provided contained errors, including comparisons to Oklahoma tax revenue projections.

Other states raise concerns

In Arizona, Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, both Democrats, sent a letter to DHS after the department purchased a warehouse in Surprise, Arizona, with plans to use it as a processing center. The senators cited concerns from local leaders and requested additional details before the project moves forward.

Broader effort faces long odds

Shaheen and Hassan’s bill is unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate, where the GOP holds a 53-47 majority. Still, it places lawmakers on record as opposing detention facilities in communities where local officials say they do not want them.

The Associated Press reports DHS has identified about 20 sites across the country – from New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Michigan, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Utah and Arizona – as potential ICE detention centers.