On Jan. 21, Manchester’s schools superintendent sent a rare notice to district staff acknowledging “heightened tension and stress related to reports of an increased ICE presence in the city.” Social media was also ablaze with rumors that ICE agents could be stationed at school pick-up and drop-off locations on Jan. 22.
The city police chief later said he had “no credible information about an increased ICE presence.”
Still, the episode rattled many in Manchester, which is home to thousands of immigrants and refugees from all over the world.
This isn’t the first or only time our newsroom has chased down claims about ICE activity in New Hampshire. The federal government rarely responds to our questions about immigration enforcement, making it hard to know exactly what they’re doing on a local level.
But in that data void, we take other steps to understand what’s happening — and to make sure we’re reporting on this issue responsibly.
All of these steps require a lot of time and energy behind the scenes — and they don’t always result in a story. We don’t want to create confusion or stress by amplifying rumors, or by reporting on a situation without all of the context.
“I kind of think of my job as sorting through the noise to figure out what's actually happening,” says Lau Guzmán, NHPR’s lead immigration reporter.
When reporting on ICE activity — or anything, really — the gold standard for our newsroom is being able to witness it firsthand. That’s challenging when it comes to immigration arrests, which often happen quickly and without warning.
When our newsroom was alerted to potential ICE arrests at Manchester student drop-offs on Jan. 22, two of our reporters visited several different schools to watch for any visible enforcement activity. We did not see any ICE officials or arrests during those visits on that day.
If we can’t be on the scene, we try to talk to people who were there to get a sense of what unfolded. We also try to talk to relatives of the person who was taken into custody or, if possible, their legal team. The goal is to get as close to the actual event as possible.
When possible, we also review video and photo evidence. But we exercise extreme caution when reporting on material that we didn’t record ourselves. We take steps to verify that the person who provided the footage is being truthful about when, where and how it was recorded.
We check with official government sources for more context. This includes checking the federal government’s immigrant detention database for updates on a specific arrest. It could also include reviewing court records, such as those related to an immigration case or a prior criminal conviction. We also try to reach out to local police, who are sometimes given a heads up about ICE activity in their communities — or may actually assist with that activity, depending on the location. In general, local authorities tend to be more responsive than the federal government.
We welcome questions, concerns and news tips about what's happening in your community. We strive to report on immigration and all other topics accurately, fairly and responsibly. We rely on your feedback to help us with that mission. You can email us anytime at voices@nhpr.org.
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Behind the headlines you read on our website, there’s a dedicated team of journalists working hard to bring you local news you can trust. On any given day, that can look like:
- • Reporters hustling to track down sources, get the facts and hold powerful officials accountable
- • Producers coordinating interviews with people who offer perspectives that go beyond soundbites
- • Editors carefully vetting our stories to make sure they’re accurate, fair and easy to follow
I believe that journalists, when we do our jobs well, can play a crucial role in connecting people and making communities stronger. But we can’t do this work without you.
Your donations, in any amount, can help keep independent journalism vibrant in New Hampshire — and accessible to everyone, no paywall required.
Sincerely,
Dan Barrick
News Director
