Residents deliver petition urging Rockingham County not to contract with ICE; speakers say trust in local law enforcement at stake
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Summary
At the Nov. 6 meeting, residents delivered a petition with more than 500 signatures from the New Hampshire Immigrant Rights Network opposing any county contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/ICE to house detainees, and a Portsmouth resident called such a contract damaging to community trust in crisis response.
Public commentators at Rockingham County’s Nov. 6 meeting urged the board to reject any contract to house U.S. Department of Homeland Security/ICE detainees in county facilities.
Kathleen Slover of Portsmouth said she represents families focused on crisis intervention and described work with local law enforcement to improve trust: "When you hear stories of law enforcement being pulled into ICE operations, it erodes trust," she told the commissioners and asked them not to sign a contract to use the Buckingham Jail for ICE operations.
Klein Dickens delivered a petition from the New Hampshire Immigrant Rights Network with more than 500 signatures that, as read for the commissioners, stated: "We vehemently oppose Rockingham County entering into a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to incarcerate people who have been seized and detained by ICE. We urge that the commission and superintendent immediately abandon any intention to participate." The petition text alleges that recent federal immigration enforcement has increased detention rates and expedited removals, and called the proposed county participation "inappropriate."
A board member responded that the sheriff’s office had made one arrest related to an immigration matter and suggested the circumstances could be discussed with Major (name as spoken), while the public speakers emphasized community concern and the large number of petition signers. The commissioners did not announce a decision on the petition at the meeting.
Next steps: The matter remains an item for public concern; petitioners indicated they will continue outreach and monitor the commissioners' approach to any potential contract.