New Hampshire becomes first state in New England to ban 'sanctuary city' policies
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed two bills into law Thursday afternoon that ban so-called sanctuary cities, becoming the first state in New England to do so.
'I said from the beginning that we won't let our state go the way of Massachusetts and their billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis," Ayotte said in a press release. "Today, we're delivering on our promise by banning sanctuary cities and supporting law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. New Hampshire will never be a sanctuary for criminals, and we will keep working every day to remain the safest state in the nation.'
Ayotte campaigned on a promise of banning sanctuary cities, which limit the cooperation of local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, calling it a public safety issue. She has repeatedly compared the state to Massachusetts, which has sanctuary city policies and which she says has an 'illegal immigrant crisis.'
Taken together, the laws will ban these types of policies and instead promote cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities.
HB 511 requires law enforcement agencies to comply with immigration detainers for inmates and prohibits state and local entities from adopting 'sanctuary polities' that would limit the enforcement of federal immigration law.
It also prohibits law enforcement from investigating an inmate's citizenship status and provides some exceptions for certain witnesses or victims of crime.
SB 62 prohibits state and local governments from blocking law enforcement agencies from entering into a partnership with ICE through a formal agreement or from impeding any state or federal law enforcement agency from complying with federal immigration laws. It allows the attorney general to sue any towns or jurisdictions found violating the rule.
The bill also authorizes county corrections facilities to hold individuals for up to 48 hours after the resolution of state charges to deliver them to ICE. Any agency who doesn't do so can be reported to the attorney general.
Supporters of the measures say that this will keep New Hampshire safe by keeping out 'illegal activity,' while opponents say that immigrants don't make communities less safe. Rather, groups like the ACLU of NH have said that the policies will undermine immigrants' trust in local law enforcement and make them less likely to report crimes or ask for help, in turn making communities less safe.
HB 511 will take effect at the beginning of 2026, as will most of SB 62.
The New Hampshire laws come as President Donald Trump has made tougher immigration policies a main priority in his presidency. In late April, Trump signed two executive orders to bolster immigration enforcement and threaten jurisdictions that restrict cooperation with federal law enforcement.
'No more Sanctuary Cities! They protect the Criminals, not the Victims,' he said in a press release. 'They are disgracing our Country, and are being mocked all over the World. Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!'
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH Gov. Kelly Ayotte signs ban on 'sanctuary cities' in NH
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