In documents released by New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s office on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security revealed new details on a proposed plan to open a 324,000-square-foot regional processing center for immigration detainees in the town of Merrimack.
The documents confirm reports and rampant speculation that indicated a massive warehouse at 50 Robert Milligan Parkway was being eyed as the home of the new United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.
The Merrimack facility falls under the federal government’s $38 billion “Detention Reengineering Initiative,” which calls for the acquisition and renovation of eight large-scale detention centers and 16 processing sites, according to the documents. The new detention center model will be funded through Congress’ allocation of funds through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
In an economic impact analysis also shared with Ayotte’s office, DHS estimates it will spend $158 million retrofitting the facility and about $146 million to operate it in the first three years. It would also support 1,252 jobs.
The DHS documents show the Merrimack facility would have 400 to 600 beds and serve as a staging facility for transfers or removals, with detainees staying on site for an average of three to seven days.
Ayotte’s office says it requested the documents after Sen. Maggie Hassan asked Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons to cancel the project over “concerns and local oppositionsummary” during a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday.
“No ma’am. Actually, DHS has worked with Gov. Ayotte, has spoken to the governor about economic impact,” Lyons told Hassan. “We did provide an economic impact summary.”
In a statement, Ayotte said her office has shared the DHS documents with Merrimack town officials.
“After my office inquired about the economic impact study following today’s Senate hearing, DHS has now for the first time distributed the document,” the statement read. “Once the document was received, we immediately shared it with the Town of Merrimack. We are publishing this document on my website for the public to find.”