Merrimack, N.H., ICE facility won’t move forward, Ayotte says

Ayotte said the federal government’s decision to halt the Merrimack project followed a trip to Washington last week during which she had “productive discussions” with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

“I thank Secretary Noem for hearing the concerns of the Town of Merrimack and for the continued cooperation between DHS and New Hampshire law enforcement,” Ayotte said in a statement.

The proposed project had been met with an outpouring of local opposition, including from local officials in Merrimack, who said it would strain police and emergency services and reduce local property tax revenues by nearly $530,000. It also sparked multiple protests.

Ayotte has not said whether she opposed the project, but instead repeatedly called on federal authorities to consult with local officials who have struggled to confirm details of the plan.

“I appreciated my discussions with Governor Ayotte last week,” Noem said in a statement. She didn’t address the scrapped warehouse plans beyond that but instead highlighted areas of collaboration with the state.

“From banning sanctuary cities to strengthening law enforcement cooperation, New Hampshire has been a strong partner in securing our country, and we look forward to continuing our work together,” Noem said.

“Good,” was the one-word reaction Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, posted on social media in response to the cancellation.

Healey had previously called on Ayotte to do “everything in her power” to block the warehouse on behalf of the region. Ayotte responded by blaming Healey and others in Massachusetts for creating “a billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis” in New England.

The announcement came a day after New Hampshire’s all-Democratic congressional delegation introduced legislation to block DHS from opening new detention facilities without a local community’s consent.

“It’s good news for Merrimack,” said Town Manager Paul Micali, who thanked elected officials for working together to make sure the facility would not come to Merrimack.

Finlay Rothhaus, chair of the Merrimack Town Council, said he is “quite happy” the ICE warehouse is off the table.

“We can breathe easy again,” he said.

The project’s cancellation is the result of a “team effort,” Finlay said, including the town’s outreach, protests, and the governor’s recent communication with Secretary Noem.

Democratic lawmakers from Merrimack celebrated the cancellation.

“Over the past few months, the people of Merrimack made it clear that a large federal detention facility was not welcome here,” said a statement from state Representatives Nancy Murphy, Rosemarie Rung, and Wendy Thomas.

The project also drew opposition from some local Republican leaders, including state Senator Tim McGough and state Representative Bill Boyd.

“Governor Ayotte’s leadership and determination are the reason DHS chose not to move forward with their facility in Merrimack,” McGough said in a statement, praising her for advocating for Merrimack’s interests.

Kim Herdman Shapiro, an activist who opposed the ICE warehouse, called the news a victory.

“Today, the people of Merrimack and all of New Hampshire proved that organized, local voices are more powerful than a federal agency’s ruthless expansion,” she said. “This is a victory for us and all of New England but it is not the end of the fight.”

Meanwhile, some New Hampshire Republicans credited Ayotte for her collaborative approach.

“This is what happens when you cooperate with federal partners instead of posturing for headlines and political theater,” said House Majority Leader Jason Osborne of Auburn. “New Hampshire works with Washington, we talk, we strategize, and we coordinate.”

“Another big win for Kelly Ayotte and her team,” Representative Joe Sweeney, a Salem Republican, said in a post on social media.

“These federal processing facilities belong in the very sanctuary states and cities that contributed to the crisis, not NH,” he said.

New Hampshire is not the only state where plans for an ICE warehouse have been scuttled. In Missouri, a development company announced it would not proceed with the sale of a massive warehouse in Kansas City after weeks of public pressure.

And in Mississippi, Republican US Senator Roger Wicker said Noem agreed to look elsewhere following local opposition to a possible detention center in the town of Byhalia.

Local officials in Minneapolis said warehouse owners there have also pulled out of possible ICE deals following public outcry.

This breaking news story will be updated. Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. Steven Porter of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

Amanda Gokee can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @amanda_gokee. Amanda Kaufman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @amandakauf1.