New Hampshire Gov Ayotte signs bill banning 'sanctuary' communities

(The Center Square) — New Hampshire cities and towns would be prohibited from enacting "sanctuary" policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration crackdowns under a bill signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte on Thursday.

The legislation prohibits “sanctuary" policies and requires local law enforcement to hold suspects sought by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for deportation for up to 48 hours.

It also allows counties and local governments to sign federal 287(g) agreements with federal officials to proactively work with ICE on immigration crackdowns.

At a signing ceremony flanked by legislative leaders and law enforcement officials, Ayotte praised lawmakers for sending the bill to her desk and jabbed at neighboring Massachusetts over "sanctuary" policies in several cities and towns, including Boston. Ayotte held up a sign reading "Don't Mass Up NH" — a slogan she used during her gubernatorial run last year.

"I said from the beginning that we won’t let our state go the way of Massachusetts and their billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis," the Republican said in remarks. "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," she added.

Republicans who pushed the bill through the Legislature say “sanctuary” communities hinder criminal and terrorist investigations, and encourage illegal immigration. They argue that local police should be working with federal officials to go after criminals who are living in the country illegally.

Democrats opposed the legislation, arguing that giving local police authority to cooperate with ICE agents makes communities less safe because it dissuades people from reporting crime for fear of deportation. They argued that local police shouldn't be forced to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement actions, especially with ramped-up deportations by the federal government.

Several communities in New Hampshire, including Manchester, have local ordinances restricting cooperation with federal officials seeking undocumented immigrants on so-called ICE detainers, which can be either criminal or civil.

The new law puts New Hampshire at odds with Massachusetts and neighboring blue states, where Democrats have resisted President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

New Hampshire recently signed an agreement with the Trump administration allowing state troopers to arrest and detain immigration suspects after they are trained and certified by federal immigration officials.