Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was publicly rebuffed in New Hampshire this week after attempting to advance plans for a new migrant detention facility in Merrimack, drawing pushback from both residents and Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte.
According to state officials, the proposed site was part of a broader federal expansion tied to the administration’s mass deportation effort. Merrimack residents reacted with anger after learning their town had been selected. Local meetings grew heated, with residents saying the community had been “blindsided” by the proposal.
Ayotte’s office made clear the state would not move forward with the plan. “New Hampshire will not be the site of a federal detention camp,” Ayotte said. In separate comments reported by multiple outlets, the governor told federal officials to “get out of my state,” signaling a direct refusal to cooperate with the expansion effort.
The clash marks a notable moment of intra-party friction over immigration enforcement tactics, particularly as DHS under Noem has pursued aggressive detention and removal strategies.
The New Hampshire dispute comes amid broader scrutiny of Noem’s leadership at the Department of Homeland Security.In early January, an ICE agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renée Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, during a Minneapolis operation, and later that month, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old American citizen and ICU nurse, during a separate encounter; both incidents drew protests and local backlash. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he had seen video of the shootings and called the events “sickening,” and city officials urged calm as demonstrators gathered to demand accountability from federal authorities.
Representative Delia Ramirez previously described a closed-door meeting with Noem as “combative,” saying afterward, “I needed to look at evil in the eye and make sure she understood that I will continue to work and ensure she no longer leads the department.”
Representative Steven Horsford formally called for her removal, stating, “Under her leadership, ICE has been transformed into a secret police force that operates with impunity — terrorizing communities and trampling constitutional rights.”
Criticism has not been limited to Democrats. A Republican senator recently described aspects of DHS enforcement operations as “amateurish,” adding, “She should be out of a job,” underscoring tensions within the GOP over the execution of immigration policy.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries suggested Democrats could pursue impeachment if they retake the House in 2026. “Kristi Noem is deeply unqualified, deeply unserious and deeply dangerous,” Jeffries said, pointing to concerns over DHS’s handling of recent deadly incidents involving federal officers.
Separately, a recently published book excerpt reported that during 2025 vetting discussions, President Donald Trump privately distanced himself from Noem over earlier political controversies. The excerpt claims Trump questioned her political durability during internal conversations. The account is based on reported interviews rather than official transcripts.
Noem has defended her department’s actions and denied wrongdoing within DHS operations. In recent remarks, she alleged internal resistance within the agency, saying, “I always believed when people talked about the deep state before that it existed: I never would have dreamed that it was as bad as it is.”
The standoff in New Hampshire places additional pressure on Noem as immigration enforcement disputes increasingly spill into state-level conflicts — including in states led by members of her own party.
Featured image by Robert F. Bukaty/ AP
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