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“I said from the beginning that we won’t let our state go the way of Massachusetts and their billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis. Today, we’re delivering on our promise by banning sanctuary cities and supporting law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. New Hampshire will never be a sanctuary for criminals, and we will keep working every day to remain the safest state in the nation,” Ayotte said.
Ayotte, a former U.S. Senator and New Hampshire Attorney General, has long warned of the dangers posed by illegal immigration and soft-on-crime policies. Her campaign slogan, “Don’t Mass up New Hampshire,” was a not-so-subtle jab at her blue-state neighbor’s handling of immigration enforcement — or lack thereof.
“I campaigned on making sure we would not have sanctuary cities here in New Hampshire, and we don’t want to go the way of Massachusetts that has had a billion-dollar illegal immigration crisis,” the governor told Fox News.
The newly enacted laws prohibit any municipality in New Hampshire from adopting policies that interfere with federal immigration enforcement. While state officials note that no official sanctuary cities currently exist within New Hampshire, several “welcoming city” policies have raised concerns among conservatives that left-leaning local governments could eventually test the boundaries.
Ayotte made it crystal clear that while she supports legal immigration, policies that encourage noncompliance with federal law are unacceptable. “New Hampshire is ranked the safest state in the nation, and I was glad I was able to sign the bill banning sanctuary cities to make sure we remain that way,” she added.
State Republicans led the charge to pass the legislation, with both bills clearing the GOP-controlled legislature largely along party lines. Proponents argued the bills were vital to preserving the rule of law and giving law enforcement the tools they need to protect communities.
State Senator Bill Gannon, who spearheaded the effort in the Senate, said the measures would “make us an even safer place to work, live, and raise a family.”
And State Representative Joe Sweeney, who introduced the House version, didn’t mince words: “We are taking the handcuffs off our law enforcement officers, and hopefully they’ll be able to work with our federal government, ICE, to put the handcuffs on the criminal illegal aliens that are violating and disobeying our laws.”
While critics argue the move is unnecessary given the absence of formal sanctuary cities, Republicans insisted the laws are preemptive — a way to ensure progressive local leaders can’t go rogue and adopt defiant policies in the future.
At the federal level, the push to end sanctuary city protections has gained momentum under President Donald Trump’s second term. A recent executive order signed by Trump threatens to withhold federal funding from states that allow sanctuary policies to persist.
With Thursday’s move, New Hampshire has officially drawn a line in the sand — choosing safety, sovereignty, and the rule of law over the chaos of open-border ideology.
