This story was originally produced by the Concord Monitor. NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative.
Police departments in Weare and Hillsboro joined a federal immigration enforcement contract, beginning a process that will allow local police officers to conduct some immigration operations.
Weare entered the contract, called a 287(g) agreement, on June 2, according to a list of participating agencies kept by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Hillsboro joined on May 31. Copies of the contracts were not yet publicly available.
The agreements under ICE’s so-called “task force” model generally authorize local police, while carrying out their normal operations, to arrest and interrogate people for warrants or on suspected immigration violations. They can also issue immigration detainers and hold custody of people arrested locally or by ICE, as well as transport them to ICE-approved detention centers. Police departments can receive federal funding for immigration-related work.
Police chiefs Christopher Moore of Weare and Christopher Parsons of Hillsboro did not immediately respond to interview requests.
Twenty other law enforcement agencies across New Hampshire have signed on, as listed by ICE on June 3. In total, that includes the New Hampshire State Police, three county sheriff’s offices and 18 municipal police departments. These agencies have made at least 51 immigration arrests since September, as reported by NHPR.
New Hampshire is the only state in New England to have its police departments join task force agreements with ICE, as encouraged last year by Gov. Kelly Ayotte. She also signed a law last year banning local so-called “sanctuary” and “welcoming” policies that would prevent police from working with ICE.
