New Hampshire Bans Sanctuary Cities

New Hampshire Bans Sanctuary Cities as Governor Ayotte Signs Landmark Immigration Legislation

New Hampshire has officially outlawed sanctuary cities, following the signing of House Bill 511 and Senate Bill 62 by Governor Kelly Ayotte (R). The move marks a major win for Republicans in the state and underscores a strong shift toward tougher immigration enforcement.

“There will be no sanctuary cities in New Hampshire, period, end of story,” Ayotte said during a signing ceremony at the State Capitol on Thursday, surrounded by lawmakers and law enforcement officials. The event capped off months of legislative effort aimed at cracking down on municipalities that might limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Under the new law, local governments are banned from adopting any policies that interfere with or restrict collaboration with federal immigration agencies like ICE. Specifically, state and local police are prohibited from being barred from sharing information with federal immigration officials.

Governor Ayotte emphasized that this legislation fulfills one of her top campaign promises—ensuring New Hampshire does not mirror neighboring Massachusetts, which she has repeatedly criticized for its immigration stance.

“I said from the beginning that we won’t let our state go the way of Massachusetts and their billion-dollar illegal immigrant crisis,” Ayotte declared. She added, “Today, we’re delivering on our promise by banning sanctuary cities and supporting law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.”

Ayotte, who previously served as New Hampshire’s attorney general and a U.S. senator, built her gubernatorial campaign on the pledge to safeguard the state from what she called the failures of liberal immigration policies in nearby states. Her campaign slogan, “Don’t Mass up New Hampshire,” drew sharp contrast with Massachusetts’ approach.

While Ayotte reiterated her support for legal immigration, she also described sanctuary policies as “unlawful and dangerous.” She pointed to New Hampshire’s distinction as the safest state in the country, vowing to preserve that status through stronger law enforcement tools.

“I was glad I was able to sign the bill banning sanctuary cities to make sure we remain that way,” she said.

In the state legislature, Sen. Bill Gannon (R) led the charge in the Senate, calling the new law a key step in making New Hampshire “an even safer place to work, live, and raise a family.” Over in the House, Rep. Joe Sweeney (R) said the legislation would allow police officers to “do their jobs” without political interference.

“We are taking the handcuffs off our law enforcement officers,” Sweeney stated. “Now they’ll be able to work with ICE to put the handcuffs on the criminal illegal aliens.”

Although New Hampshire does not currently have any official sanctuary cities, the New Hampshire Municipal Association confirmed that a few towns had adopted “welcoming city” labels. Republicans warned that such terminology could be a loophole for future sanctuary policies, which prompted a preemptive legislative ban.

With this law, New Hampshire becomes the 11th state in the country to formally prohibit sanctuary cities through state legislation. Supporters argue the measure prevents liberal-leaning municipalities from undermining federal immigration enforcement and sends a clear message about the state’s priorities.

The law’s passage also aligns with former President Donald Trump’s immigration platform, which remains a core element of the GOP’s national agenda. Just earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order to strip federal funding from states that permit sanctuary cities, reinforcing a top-down push to penalize noncompliance.

The governor’s office confirmed that the law goes into effect immediately, and Republican lawmakers say they plan to introduce additional legislation to keep New Hampshire in lockstep with federal immigration policy.

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