(The Center Square) — New Hampshire lawmakers are moving quickly to tighten the state’s immigration policies as President Donald Trump ramps up his nationwide crackdown on undocumented migrants.
On Thursday, the state Senate approved a bill that would prohibit so-called “sanctuary city” policies and require local law enforcement to support U.S. Immigration and Customs officials’ efforts to apprehend people who are living in the country illegally. The measure passed by a 15-8 vote along party lines, with the chamber’s Republican majority supporting it.
Under the bill, any New Hampshire city or town that adopts a “sanctuary city” policy would be subject to punitive action from the state attorney general.
The bill’s primary sponsor, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Bill Gannon, R-Sandown, said a ban on sanctuary policies would “send a message that New Hampshire is not open to illegal aliens” and make the state safer.
“It’s our responsibility to the residents of New Hampshire to make it known the immigration we welcome is legal immigration,” Gannon said in remarks Thursday ahead of the bill’s passage. “We could do that by prohibiting sanctuary cities.”
Another bill approved by the Senate will allow counties and local governments to sign federal 287(g) agreements with federal officials to proactively work with ICE on immigration crackdowns.
Several communities in New Hampshire, including Manchester, have local ordinances restricting cooperation with federal officials seeking undocumented immigrants on so-called ICE detainers, which can be either criminal or civil.
But Sen. Tara Reardon, D-Concord, said New Hampshire law already requires state and local law-enforcement officials to cooperate with federal officials on criminal ICE detainers.
“There are no pro-crime cities or towns in New Hampshire,” she said in remarks during Thursday’s debate on the bill. “And anyone who would harbor a criminal is chargeable, whether that person is a citizen or a non-citizen. We all want safe communities and have laws allowing law-enforcement to act.”
Democrats also pointed out that the New Hampshire Association of Counties has raised concern the sanctuary policy ban could force local property taxpayers to foot the bill to care for illegal immigrants in county jails as they wait to be picked up by immigration officials.
A similar proposal to restrict sanctuary policies is working its way through the state House of Representatives with support from several Democrats who voted to advance the bill out of committee.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, has made abolishing sanctuary policies a key focus of her administration and has pledged to sign a ban if it reaches her desk.
“I want you to send me a ban on sanctuary city policies and I want you to send me tougher penalties for fentanyl dealers,” Ayotte said in her inaugural address.
