The New Hampshire House voted overwhelmingly and without debate Thursday to require local police to fulfill federal immigration detention requests against undocumented immigrants in local custody.
The 351-6 margin was hailed by Republicans, who have prioritized banning so-called sanctuary policies in New Hampshire. But the vote was also a dramatic reversal for Democrats, who have tended to loudly oppose bills that force police to cooperate with federal immigration, including last week, when the state Senate adopted a similar measure along strict party lines.
The House also voted 211-146 Thursday to prohibit public schools and colleges from housing people who lack legal status. There is no record that any school or college in New Hampshire ever has, and the vote on that bill fell along near party lines, with Democrats opposed.
“This bill is unnecessary and attempts to solve a problem that does not exist,” said Rep. Peggy Balbon, of Rye.
Both measures now head to the House Finance Committee for further review.
The debates on policies touching immigration enforcement in New Hampshire have been conspicuous all session long.
"I think [Democrats] just want to get it out of the way, and we just want to do it because it’s what we do,” Deerfield Rep. Terry Roy, who leads the House Criminal Justice Committee, said of the immigration bills.
Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte, meanwhile, has urged lawmakers to get her bills to permit law enforcement to police immigration. She says she sees immigration policy as an area when she hopes to work with the Trump administration.
“If you have committed a crime in our country, then we are certainly going to prioritize making sure that we are cooperating with federal authorities,” Ayotte told reporters Wednesday.
