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By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org
To speed up deportations, the Trump administration plans to hold 80,000 immigrants in warehouses across the country, including in Merrimack, NH, according to a story published Wednesday in the Washington Post.
Quoting internal U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents, the Post said the plan includes seven large-scale holding centers to stage 5,000 to 10,000 people for deportation each and 16 smaller ones such as in Merrimack to hold between 500 and 1,500, and would include renovating industrial warehouses.
State Sen. Tim McGough, R-Merrimack, said he has not received any direct communication from Homeland Security, ICE or any federal agency regarding a proposed facility in Merrimack, but would work with local and state officials should more information emerge.
State Rep. Wendy E.N Thomas, D-Merrimack, said she is against any ICE building in Merrimack.
“I am opposed to any ICE building in our town. We don’t need warehouses to detain thousands of people, many illegally. ICE has already racked up many human rights violations and they have terrorized people across the nation. ICE is not welcome in our town or even in NH,” Thomas said Thursday evening.
McGough responded to InDepthNH.org by email Thursday evening saying: “Beyond the general reference in the Washington Post article, there is very little concrete information available to town or state officials that I am aware of. Given that, it is far too early to draw any conclusions or offer definitive commentary about what this might mean.”
Gov. Kelly Ayotte didn’t respond to questions about the Post story Wednesday or on Thursday.
McGough said, “Until there is more specific, verified information about an actual proposal, scope, location and process, any discussion would be purely speculative.
“What I can say is that if anything of this nature were to be formally proposed, Merrimack’s local officials – including town administration, law enforcement, the Planning Board and Town Council – would operate within the law and in accordance with all applicable planning, zoning and regulatory requirements.
“I am confident that the town would also ensure appropriate transparency and public notice as required.
“Public safety would also be paramount. I would expect that any discussion would involve close coordination with local municipal, county and state law enforcement officials to ensure they are satisfied at every phase of the process, and to ensure that Merrimack and all District 11 residents are kept safe and treated fairly,” McGough said.
“As the state Senator representing Merrimack, my role would be to make sure that any required state level processes are followed and that residents are kept informed as facts become available.
“Public engagement and adherence to established procedures would be essential. For now though there simply isn’t enough information to comment further. I’ll certainly stay engaged and work with town officials should more details emerge,” McGough said.
According to the Post story, “The large warehouses would be located close to major logistics hubs in Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia and Missouri. Sixteen smaller warehouses would hold up to 1,500 people each,” including one in Merrimack, N.H, the only one listed for New England.
“The draft solicitation is not final and is subject to changes. ICE plans to share it with private detention companies this week to gauge interest and refine the plan, according to an internal email reviewed by The Post. A formal request for bids could follow soon after that,” the Post reported, adding Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said she “cannot confirm” its reporting and declined to answer questions about the warehouse plan.
“The majority of the planned warehouses are in towns, counties and states led by Republicans supportive of Trump’s immigration policies. Two of the largest warehouses are planned for towns with Democrat-led local governments: Stafford, Virginia, and Kansas City, Missouri,” the Post reported.
Crime
A court hearing for Cher’s son Wednesday over allegations he broke into a New Hampshire home this month has been canceled.
Elijah Allman’s arrest on March 1 was his second in New Hampshire in a matter of days. Allman, the 49-year-old son of the iconic singer and actress, was also detained Feb. 27, accused of acting belligerently at a prestigious prep school in Concord.

It is unclear if Allman, of Malibu, California, has any connection to the home in Windham, New Hampshire. He is being held in the Rockingham County Department of Corrections, Superintendent Jonathan Banville said.
The hearing Wednesday was continued until an undetermined date after Allman got an attorney Wednesday morning. The attorney, Sarah Landres, did not respond to a request for comment.
Allman, whose father was the late singer Gregg Allman, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief, one count of burglary and a count of breach of bail for breaking into the home on March 1. Police said in a report that Allman did not have permission to be at the home and forcibly entered it.
Officials at St. Paul’s School said Allman last month identified himself as the parent of a prospective student and slipped into the dining hall as some students were leaving the building. Police responded to reports that he was disturbing people in the building.
He was charged with four misdemeanors in the school incident: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime. He was released on bail.
Allman did not respond to an email requesting comment, and a phone number for him was not working.
In December 2023, Cher filed a petition to become a temporary conservator overseeing her son’s money, saying Allman’s struggles with his mental health and addiction have left him unable to manage his assets and potentially put his life in danger.
The petition says the superstar performer’s son is entitled to regular payments from a trust fund. But “given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues,” she is “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” the petition says.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica Uzcategui denied the request, saying she was not convinced that a conservatorship was urgently needed. Allman was in the courtroom with his attorneys, who acknowledged his previous struggles but argued that he was in a good place, was attending meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his estranged wife.
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
The son of Cher is scheduled to be in court Wednesday for a hearing over allegations he broke into a New Hampshire home earlier this month.
It was the second arrest in a matter of days for Elijah Allman, 49, of Malibu, California, who was detained Feb. 27 after allegedly acting belligerently at a prestigious prep school in New Hampshire. It was unclear if Allman had any connection to either St. Paul’s School or the home in Windham, New Hampshire.
Allman remains in the Rockingham County Department of Corrections in what is called preventive detention, Superintendent Jonathan Banville said.
Allman, whose father was the late singer Gregg Allman, faces two counts of criminal mischief, one count of burglary and a count of breach of bail for breaking into the home on March 1. Police said in a report that Allman did not have permission to be at the home and forcibly entered it .
In the incident at the prep school, Allman was charged with four misdemeanors: two counts of simple assault, criminal trespass and criminal threatening. Allman was also charged with a violation of disorderly conduct, which is illegal in the state but not considered a crime.
At about 7 p.m. that day, Concord police responded to reports that Allman was disturbing people in the dining hall of St. Paul’s School. After charging Allman, police said he was released on bail as his case works through the court system.
Allman did not respond to an email requesting comment, and a phone number for him was not working. It was unclear from the court records if Allman has an attorney.
In December 2023, Cher filed a petition to become a temporary conservator overseeing her son’s money, saying Allman struggles with mental health issues and addiction have left him unable to manage his assets and potentially put his life in danger.
The petition from the singer and actress said Elijah Allman is entitled to regular payments from a trust fund. But “given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues,” she is “concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” the petition says.
A few weeks later, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jessica Uzcategui denied the request, saying she was not convinced that a conservatorship was urgently needed. Allman was in the courtroom with his his attorneys, who acknowledged his previous struggles but argued that he is in a good place now, attending meetings, getting treatment and reconciling with his previously estranged wife.
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