Merrimack residents urge town leaders to oppose reported ICE detention site

Dozens of Merrimack residents used an hour of public comment at the Town Council’s Jan. 8 meeting to urge local officials to oppose reports that the federal government is considering a processing and detention facility in the town.

The council’s chair suspended the usual rule limiting public comment to agenda items and allowed residents three minutes each to speak about the reported ICE facility, saying the council had “no more information on this than you do” and that it had not been contacted by federal or state officials. The council limited comments to Merrimack residents and set a one-hour window for the topic.

Speakers described a mix of moral, logistical and fiscal concerns. "Merrimack is a town where we support and welcome immigrants," said Karen Hughes of Powder House Road, urging the council to ask the planning and zoning boards, with legal counsel, whether local ordinances could be amended to block a detention site. Several speakers referenced widely shared videos and recent incidents elsewhere; multiple speakers said the prospect of a facility would make immigrant family members feel unsafe.

"We're not here to do anything besides work," said Carla Gutierrez, who identified herself as a naturalized citizen and former restaurant owner, and told the council she feared for her children and community safety. Immigration attorney Enrique Mesa told the council he has handled detention work for 20 years and warned that the facility could be used to limit detainees’ access to due process.

Residents also raised practical concerns about traffic and emergency services. Alethia Fyfield said a likely candidate site—an empty warehouse at the former Anheuser-Busch brewery on Daniel Webster Highway—would sit near major commutes and local schools and could increase daily vehicle movements and strain police and fire resources.

Several speakers warned of legal and budgetary exposure if the town became the site of a detention operation. "The lawsuits that get put against our town because of a detention center will be enormous," Bridget Boyle said, urging the council to consider potential liability and long-term costs.

Council members spoke for themselves but did not take a formal vote on the issue at the meeting. One councilor urged residents to "turn off the news, take a break from social media, get out and talk to your neighbors," while others said they opposed any federal plan to locate a detention facility in Merrimack. The chair said emails from state-level officials opposing the reported facility would be included as an addendum to the minutes.

The council did not adopt an official resolution or take formal legislative action on the matter at the meeting. Town staff and councilors repeatedly said they had no confirmed information beyond press reports and pledged to pass on any official updates as they become available. For now, residents were urged to submit written comments and emails that will be added to the meeting record.