Know Your Rights if ICE Comes to New Hampshire

This page is information, not legal advice. New Hampshire became the first New England state to ban local sanctuary policies when HB 511 and SB 62 took full effect on January 1, 2026. The New Hampshire State Police has had a statewide Task Force Model 287(g) agreement since April 2025. As of May 2026, up to 19 agencies had enrolled. Lebanon and Hanover repealed their protective ordinances under threat of financial penalties. Grafton County withdrew from its agreement in May 2026. Verify current conditions with the ACLU of New Hampshire, the NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees, or a licensed immigration attorney.

New Hampshire stands apart from its New England neighbors on immigration enforcement. While Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have enacted protective legislation limiting local cooperation with ICE, New Hampshire moved in the opposite direction. Governor Kelly Ayotte signed HB 511 (the Anti-Sanctuary Act) and SB 62 on May 22, 2025. These laws took full effect on January 1, 2026, making New Hampshire the first New England state to ban local sanctuary policies and require cooperation with ICE detainers.

The New Hampshire State Police had already signed a statewide Task Force Model 287(g) agreement on April 25, 2025 - before the laws were even signed - at Governor Ayotte's direction. By May 2026, up to 19 New Hampshire law enforcement agencies had enrolled in 287(g) agreements. Financial incentives from ICE, including approximately $100,000 for a vehicle plus per-officer stipends and performance awards for arrests, have driven enrollment. At least five New Hampshire departments received funds to purchase new cruisers through the program.

Two communities that had previously adopted protective ordinances - Lebanon and Hanover - were forced to repeal or revise them under threat of losing 25 percent of their state funding. The financial penalty mechanism built into the new laws removed the practical ability of local governments to maintain protective policies.

Part 1: Your rights under federal law - everywhere, including New Hampshire

These rights come from the U.S. Constitution. They apply in New Hampshire regardless of immigration status, citizenship, or how you entered the country.

At your front door

The Fourth Amendment protects your home from government entry without your consent or a judicial warrant. A judicial warrant is signed by a federal judge, based on probable cause, and authorizes entry to a specific address. An administrative warrant - ICE Form I-200 or I-205 - is signed by an immigration officer, not a judge, and does not authorize entry to your home without your consent. Ask through the door which type of warrant is being presented. If it is administrative, you are not required to open the door.

During a traffic stop or street encounter

You have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer questions about where you were born, your immigration history, or your status. You can say you are exercising your right to remain silent and want to speak to a lawyer. You can ask whether you are free to go. If the officer says yes, you may calmly leave.

Do not lie and do not provide false documents. Silence is a legal right. False statements are a separate crime. Many families carry a printed card asserting these rights.

At your workplace

ICE may enter public areas of a workplace without a warrant. Private areas generally require a judicial warrant or employer consent. You have the right to remain silent in any workplace encounter.

Do not sign anything without a lawyer

Documents presented during an ICE arrest may include voluntary departure agreements or stipulated removal orders that waive your right to a hearing before an immigration judge. Do not sign anything without speaking to an attorney first.

Part 2: HB 511 and SB 62 - the Anti-Sanctuary laws

Governor Ayotte signed HB 511 and its companion SB 62 on May 22, 2025. Some provisions took effect July 1, 2025; the full framework took effect January 1, 2026.

What HB 511 prohibits and requires

HB 511 stops cities and towns from adopting policies that block federal immigration enforcement. It requires local and state law enforcement to comply with ICE detainers - holding people subject to ICE detention orders for up to 48 hours after their state charges conclude, not counting weekends and holidays. Law enforcement agencies cannot withhold immigration-related information about people in their custody from federal authorities.

HB 511 also includes a guardrail: officers cannot investigate an inmate's citizenship or immigration status unless that person is already under investigation for violating a New Hampshire law. This limit was built into the law to address concerns about overreach.

What SB 62 adds

SB 62 prevents local governments from blocking police agencies from entering into voluntary 287(g) agreements with ICE. County jails can hold people subject to ICE detention orders for up to 48 hours after their state charges end, not counting weekends and holidays. If a law enforcement agency refuses to honor an ICE detainer, it must report that refusal to the state attorney general. The attorney general can then sue non-compliant jurisdictions. Municipalities that violate the law can lose up to 25 percent of state funding for the fiscal year of the violation.

How Lebanon and Hanover responded

Lebanon and Hanover were among the communities that had previously adopted ordinances limiting police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. After the new laws passed, both communities faced potential loss of substantial state funding. Lebanon's city council voted 8-1 in November 2025 to repeal its Welcoming Ordinance. Hanover's Selectboard voted unanimously in December 2025 to revise its Fair and Impartial Policing Ordinance. Legal counsel told Hanover that a court challenge to the state law would likely fail. No protective local ordinances that conflict with HB 511 and SB 62 remain in effect in New Hampshire as of mid-2026.

Part 3: The 287(g) landscape - 19 agencies and growing

New Hampshire State Police signed a statewide Task Force Model 287(g) agreement on April 25, 2025, at Governor Ayotte's direction. Under the Task Force Model, trained and deputized state troopers can conduct immigration enforcement during routine traffic stops and patrol activities anywhere in New Hampshire. This statewide agreement means that any traffic stop by an NHSP trooper on any New Hampshire highway or road can include immigration enforcement elements for trained and certified troopers.

Four county sheriff offices signed agreements in 2025: Belknap, Hillsborough, and Rockingham counties had agreements in place before Grafton County joined. As of May 2026, up to 19 agencies had enrolled in 287(g) programs, with the number continuing to grow across the state's southern tier particularly. Many of the participating departments are in southern New Hampshire - the area south of Concord that borders Massachusetts, where immigrant communities are more concentrated and where highway enforcement corridors create higher encounter rates.

A notable development as of May 2026: Grafton County's Sheriff's Office withdrew from its 287(g) agreement, the first withdrawal in New Hampshire since the wave of enrollments began. The Grafton County sheriff had previously stated that the county's agreement was limited to facilitating transport of people with criminal charges and had not yet resulted in arrests or detentions. Whether the withdrawal was permanent and what it means for enforcement in Grafton County should be verified with current sources.

Financial incentives from ICE have driven enrollment: approximately $100,000 per vehicle, per-officer stipends, equipment funds, and performance awards based on arrests. At least five New Hampshire departments filed for these stipends and at least three received funds to purchase new vehicles. The performance award structure - payment per arrest - creates financial incentives for departments to maximize immigration-related arrests.

Part 4: New Hampshire's immigrant communities and enforcement context

New Hampshire has a smaller immigrant population than many states, with communities concentrated in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and the southern tier communities. The state's immigrant communities include long-established Latino families, workers in hospitality, food service, and construction, and newer refugee communities. The Seacoast region also has established immigrant communities.

New Hampshire is the only New England state with any local police forces having Task Force Model 287(g) agreements - the most aggressive enforcement model. The neighboring states of Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, and Vermont all have stronger protective legal frameworks. This creates an enforcement differential in the region, where people in southern New Hampshire face a different enforcement environment than those just across the border in Massachusetts.

ICE has also made arrests at New Hampshire courthouses. The Nashua District Court saw a protest and community response after ICE activity near the court in June 2025. Courthouse enforcement chills immigrants' participation in the legal system as victims, witnesses, and parties to civil proceedings.

Part 5: What to do right now, before anything happens

Know your A-number and make sure trusted family members have it written down. ICE detainees from New Hampshire may be transferred to facilities in Massachusetts or other states.

Know which agency is policing your area. The NH State Police statewide agreement means any NHSP traffic stop statewide carries enforcement potential. In the southern tier counties - Hillsborough and Rockingham - county sheriff and some municipal departments have agreements. Grafton County withdrew from its agreement as of May 2026. The list of enrolled agencies is growing; verify the current status with the ACLU of New Hampshire.

Know that under HB 511, officers cannot investigate your immigration status unless you are already under investigation for a New Hampshire crime. This is a limit built into the law. If you have not been arrested for a New Hampshire offense, an officer cannot investigate your status on that basis alone.

Identify an immigration attorney before you need one. The NH Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees and the ACLU of New Hampshire are primary contacts for legal resources.

Prepare guardianship documents for any children. Set up a financial power of attorney so a trusted person can manage accounts and property if you are detained.

Part 6: Legal help and resources in New Hampshire

The ACLU of New Hampshire opposed HB 511 and SB 62 and continues to monitor immigration enforcement in the state. They are the primary legal organization tracking enforcement developments. Their website is aclu-nh.org.

The New Hampshire Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (NHAIR), led by Eva Castillo, is the primary statewide immigrant advocacy organization and provides connections to legal resources, know-your-rights training, and community support.

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) New Hampshire Program works on immigrant justice issues in the state and has been engaged on the enforcement expansion.

The Seacoast Interfaith Sanctuary Coalition and the Granite State Organizing Project are community organizations providing support to immigrant families.

For immigration court case information, call the EOIR automated line at 1-800-898-7180. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator at locator.ice.gov. New Hampshire ICE detainees may be held at county jails within the state or transferred to the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island, or other New England regional facilities. Call the ICE Detention Reporting and Information Line at 1-888-351-4024 if your person does not appear in the locator.

Immigration Advocates Network lists New Hampshire legal providers at immigrationadvocates.org.

New Hampshire became the first New England state to ban sanctuary policies with HB 511 and SB 62, effective January 1, 2026. The NH State Police has a statewide Task Force Model 287(g) agreement covering all of the state. Up to 19 agencies had enrolled by May 2026. Lebanon and Hanover were forced to repeal protective ordinances under financial penalty threat. Grafton County withdrew from its agreement in May 2026 - the one retreat in an otherwise expanding enforcement network. Your federal constitutional rights apply in full: an administrative warrant does not authorize entry to your home without consent, your right to remain silent applies including on immigration status questions unless you are already under investigation for a New Hampshire crime, and you cannot be compelled to sign anything without a lawyer. Knowing which agencies have agreements, monitoring the ACLU of New Hampshire's tracking, and having legal contacts before a crisis are the foundations for protecting your family in New Hampshire.

This page reflects conditions as of mid-2026. HB 511 and SB 62 took full effect January 1, 2026. Up to 19 agencies had enrolled in 287(g) as of May 2026, with Grafton County having withdrawn. The financial incentive structure and performance awards continue to drive enrollment. Verify the current agency-level 287(g) list with the ACLU of New Hampshire or NH Public Radio.