Mass. Gov. Healey demands Gov. Kelly Ayotte block proposed Merrimack ICE detention facility
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey on Friday (ET) urged New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte to take immediate action to stop federal plans to convert a 43-acre warehouse in Merrimack into a large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility. Healey called the proposal "outrageous" and said it would harm communities across the region.
Healey slams plans, warns of regional impact
In a forceful statement issued Friday (ET), Healey said expanding detention capacity in Southern New Hampshire would intensify aggressive enforcement tactics and strain safety and due-process protections. "We should be opposing ICE’s tactics, not allowing them to expand. We certainly should not be allowing ICE to build new human warehouses when they can’t be trusted to keep people safe and protect due process, " she said. "I oppose this in the strongest possible terms, and I am demanding that Governor Ayotte do everything in her power to block a new ICE facility in Southern New Hampshire. "
Healey cited recent enforcement operations and high-profile incidents around the country as evidence that greater detention capacity could lead to more community disruption and civil liberties concerns. She warned the facility would not only affect Merrimack but have ripple effects for neighboring Massachusetts communities and the wider region.
Ayotte's office presses for transparency, faults state agency
Officials in the governor's office in New Hampshire say they were not sufficiently briefed by federal authorities on the project and are pressing for clearer communication. Ayotte's staff said it will continue to insist on transparency from the Department of Homeland Security and to seek full information from federal and local stakeholders in Merrimack.
The governor’s office criticized a state agency for failing to notify the executive branch about its communications with federal officials regarding the site. An Ayotte spokesperson described that lapse as "entirely unacceptable, " emphasizing that state leaders must be looped in on discussions that affect local communities and land use.
Documents outline site improvements and capacity; local leaders react
Documents released earlier this month outline federal plans to convert the property at 50 Robert Milligan Parkway into a detention and processing site. The parcel is a 324, 000-square-foot building on roughly 43 acres. One set of materials describes a plan for a roughly 400-bed detention center; other federal planning documents reference a broader strategy of processing sites and larger-scale detention buildouts elsewhere.
A Department of Homeland Security letter dated Jan. 9 (ET) to the state Division of Historical Resources lists proposed site improvements that may include upgraded or rehabilitated parking areas, fencing, site lighting, landscaping, drainage and stormwater work, recreation areas, cameras, tenting, and a guard shack. The materials also reference potential investments to repurpose the facility to meet operational needs.
Local and state Democrats have voiced strong opposition to the proposed conversion, while state officials underscore a need for full briefings and coordination before such a project advances. Community members and municipal leaders are weighing potential impacts on industry zoning, neighborhood character, and public safety.
As the dispute continues, Healey has publicly urged Ayotte to use the governor’s authority to block the project or press federal partners for a halt, framing the fight as one over human dignity, public safety, and transparent governance. New Hampshire officials say they will pursue greater clarity from federal agencies as area residents and regional leaders monitor next steps.
