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Our 9 month series, New Hampshire's Immigration Story explored just that... the vast history of who came to New Hampshire, when they came, why they came, the challenges they faced once they landed on Granite State soil and the contributions that they brought to our state. The Exchange, Word of Mouth, and our News Department looked at the issue of immigration from its first arrivals to the newest refugees calling New Hampshire home.We saw how immigration affects our economy, health care, education system, culture and our current system of law. We also looked at what's going on in New Hampshire today, as we uncovered the groups, societies and little known people who are making an impact all over the state.Funding for NH's Immigration Story is brought to you in part by: New Hampshire Humanities Council, Norwin S. and Elizabeth N. Bean Foundation, The Gertrude Couch Trust0000017a-15d9-d736-a57f-17ff89e10000

ACLU Of N.H. Holds 'Know Your Rights' Training In Response To I-93 Immigration Checkpoints

Courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

The ACLU of New Hampshire held a Know Your Rights training in Concord Thursday night. The training was in response to the immigration checkpoints conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection along I-93.

Around 80 people sat in rows in the basement of Concord's St. Paul's church for the training. Gilles Bissonnette, Legal Director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, spoke about the 100 mile zone where border patrol can operate immigration checkpoints.

"New Hampshire is really uniquely situated such that under these policies, the state is almost exclusively captured under this regime," he said.

Using a cardboard cutout of a car door, organizers acted out different ways people can respond to Border Patrol at a checkpoint, emphasizing the right to remain silent and encouraging participants to record encounters.

Several attendees shared their experiences of being stopped at the checkpoints on I-93.

Arnie Alpert is the co-director of the American Friends Service Committee's N.H. Program, one of the sponsors of the event. 

"A lot of the training is for anybody to understand what are your rights when you're confronted by an immigration officer, what do you have to do, what can you refuse to do, legally," he said. 

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