Last week, my town of Merrimack announced it would close town offices at noon due to concerns over a potentially large protest planned outside Town Hall. Local officials were told that hundreds — possibly more than 1,000 — protesters were expected to gather. Out of an abundance of caution and concern for public safety, the town chose to shut down operations for the afternoon.
The reason for the protest? Rumors of a potential federal detention facility in Merrimack that could house between 500 and 1,500 criminal illegal aliens awaiting deportation.
To be clear, there has been no official confirmation that such a facility is coming. Town officials have stated they are unaware of any finalized plans to lease or purchase property in Merrimack for this purpose. Yet despite the lack of concrete information, activists allegedly bused in from outside the community were prepared to descend on our town to protest something that may not even exist.
That alone should give residents pause. Decisions affecting Merrimack should be driven by facts and the voices of local citizens, not outside agitators spreading fear and misinformation.
But even setting aside the rumors, if a federal detention facility were to be established here, Merrimack residents should be celebrating, not protesting.
Every day, under the leadership of U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS conducts law enforcement operations across the country to keep Americans safe. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is actively arresting and removing dangerous individuals who have no legal right to remain in the United States. It should come as no surprise that ICE is operating in New Hampshire, just as it does in every other state.
ICE is targeting the worst of the worst, including murderers, rapists, gang members, drug traffickers, and repeat offenders who have committed serious crimes on American soil. According to DHS data, approximately 70 percent of ICE arrests involve illegal aliens who have been charged with or convicted of crimes in the United States. These are not families seeking asylum or people looking for a better life; these are individuals who pose a clear threat to public safety.
Don’t believe me? Take a look at who ICE has arrested in New Hampshire alone:
Berlin, N.H.: Ivan Rico-Reyes, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of domestic violence, burglary, illegal re-entry, and obstructing police.
Manchester, N.H.: Vepa Asheyrov, a criminal illegal alien from Turkmenistan, convicted of fraud.
Manchester, N.H.: Calixto Mendez Gomez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, convicted of human slavery or trafficking.
Concord, N.H.: Jorge Niz, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala, convicted of rape, strong-arm assault, and illegal re-entry.
Salem, N.H.: Robert Niebudek, a criminal illegal alien from Canada, convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor involving film and photographs.
Thanks to new funding provided through the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE now has the resources it needs to expand detention capacity. That expansion is necessary to ensure that dangerous criminals are not released back into our communities while awaiting removal. Detention facilities exist for one reason: to keep the public safe until the law can be fully enforced.
Secretary Noem has made it clear she is willing to work with state and local officials on both sides of the aisle to responsibly expand detention space and support ICE officers carrying out what will be the largest deportation effort in American history. That effort is long overdue after four years of border chaos under the Biden administration, which allowed millions of unvetted aliens to enter the country.
The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to protect our families and children. They deserve our respect and gratitude, not protests and political grandstanding.
For those who doubt the seriousness of the threat, DHS provides transparency. Any New Hampshire resident can visit wow.dhs.gov to see who ICE is arresting in the state. The list includes murderers, violent abusers, and drug traffickers — individuals who should never have been here in the first place.
Criminals who commit heinous crimes should be locked up and removed, not allowed to roam freely in our neighborhoods. Merrimack, and New Hampshire as a whole, should stand firmly on the side of law enforcement, public safety, and the rule of law.