It took six years, but New Hampshire Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte finally signed the legislation banning sanctuary entities in the Granite State, the first state in Democrat-heavy New England to do so.
The bills, House Bill (HB) 511 and Senate Bill (SB) 62 ban sanctuary cities and require cooperation between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration officials. These bills ensure that criminal aliens will no longer be shielded in New Hampshire communities.
Ira Mehlman is media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
“Governor Kelly Ayotte was elected on a platform saying that she was not going to follow Massachusetts' lead and provide all kinds of benefits for illegal aliens. The state legislature and now Governor Ayotte have made good on those promises. They have eliminated any sanctuary policies in the state of New Hampshire."
While New Hampshire’s new law requires law enforcement to cooperate with immigration officials, it carves out a few exceptions, according to FAIR. It gives law enforcement a certain amount of discretion, saying an officer shall comply with detainer requests “to the extent possible and their ability to safely do so.” Additionally, it does not allow law enforcement officers to investigate an inmate’s immigration status unless the individual has already been accused of violating New Hampshire law.

Finally, it does not require law enforcement agencies, except in limited circumstances, to provide federal immigration authorities with immigration information if the individual was a victim or witness of a crime.
Importantly, New Hampshire’s new law contains an enforcement mechanism. It allows the state attorney general to file lawsuits against any government entity or law enforcement agency for any violations of HB 511. If a trial court concludes that a violation has occurred, the court must enjoin the unlawful sanctuary policy.
Mehlman says these are the sorts of things that states can do.
"States can take steps to insulate themselves and their taxpayers against the impact of massive illegal immigration to make sure that their streets are safe from foreign criminals who are in the country, and New Hampshire is to be commended for having taken this step."