Gov. Kelly Ayotte has long denied knowing anything about Immigration and Customs Enforcement's plan for a detention facility in Merrimack. But at a U.S. Senate hearing Thursday, ICE director Todd Lyons told New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan his agency had been in contact with the governor.
Thursday night, Ayotte released an additional statement that she now has documents on the facility from the Department of Homeland Security. These updates come after other communication gaps within Ayotte’s administration about the facility.
We discuss these stories and more on this week’s edition of the NH News Recap.
Guests:
- William Skipworth, New Hampshire Bulletin
- Annmarie Timmins, NHPR
Top stories from around New Hampshire this week:
Ayotte denies ICE director’s claim federal officials talked to her about Merrimack facility
Todd Lyons, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed Thursday that ICE was building an immigrant detention center in Merrimack and said that the Department of Homeland Security “has worked with Gov. Ayotte” on the economic impact of the project — a claim Ayotte denied.
New Hampshire’s ‘bathroom bill’ vetoed for the third time
Ayotte vetoed Senate Bill 268 Friday, a bill to allow transgender people to be excluded from restrooms, locker rooms, jails, and other spaces that don’t match their sex at birth.
Vaccine skeptics renew efforts to rescind New Hampshire’s vaccine requirements in 2026
A contingent of vaccine skeptics in the New Hampshire House of Representatives has again brought a slate of vaccine-related legislation to the State House in 2026. Some proposals go further than others.
More New Hampshire headlines:
State pushes back against Trump’s ‘unprecedented’ demand for NH voter data
Goodlander says grand jury refused to indict her and other Democrats over ‘illegal orders’ video
Trail safety: Lawmakers mull plan for a security task force for 2028 presidential primary
