U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested eight adults for immigration violations during a three-day checkpoint on Interstate 93 in the town of Woodstock last week.
Customs officials say those detained were from Bulgaria, Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala, including two people who overstayed their visas.
In addition, agents seized small quantities of marijuana and hash oil from U.S. citizens during the roadblock, which was coordinated with the New Hampshire State Police.
This was the second multi-day checkpoint in Woodstock carried out by Border Patrol agents this year. The first resulted in 25 immigration-related detentions, including at least three minors.
The checkpoint was staged roughly 75 miles from the Canadian border in the southbound lanes of I-93. U.S. Customs and Border Protection are permitted to operate immigration checkpoints within 100 miles of an international or coastal border, which effectively includes all of New Hampshire.
Civil liberties groups, including the ACLU, argue these checkpoints violate constitutional protections against illegal search and seizures, though they have repeatedly been upheld in court challenges.