By NANCY WEST, InDepthNH.org

ACLU-NH has again questioned why taxpayer dollars are still allocated for the northern border with Canada after data on encounters by both Border Patrol and the state’s Northern Border Alliance Task Force from January to May 2024 showed zero encounters.

Gov. Chris Sununu and Attorney General John Formella didn’t dispute ACLU-NH’s numbers but insisted in a news release that the funds have been beneficial to the North Country, that they were able to prevent illegal crossings.

They released the Northern Border Alliance Progress Report and criticized ACLU-NH.

 Sununu said: “New Hampshire has invested in security along the Northern Border. We’ve empowered local law enforcement. We’ve partnered with Canada on a security agreement. With the right team and approach, we’ve shown that illegal crossings can be prevented. I hope other states and the Biden-Harris Administration will take note that our success is proof that border security works.”

Formella said: “In an effort to fundraise and generate headlines the ACLU is taking a tunnel vision approach in the information they are requesting relating to federal border data. We remain focused on protecting the safety of New Hampshire residents and will continue our efforts. As shown by the most recent report, the Attorney General’s Northern Border Alliance Task Force is clearly enhancing public safety efforts in the North Country.”

 The ACLU-NH news release said: “Instead of spending time and money on critical issues in the North Country like housing, substance use treatment, and mental health resources, legislators in Concord keep investing limited time and taxpayer dollars into a truly nonexistent border issue. Unlawful border crossings are incredibly rare occurrences in our state – and the data has shown that repeatedly for more than a year and a half.”

Amanda Azad, policy director at the ACLU-NH went on to say: “We continue to advocate that these funds, which stand at $1.4 million, be reallocated to things that actually help Granite Staters and that the state stop the unnecessary and harmful expansion of using local law enforcement for immigration purposes.” 

New data unveiled Thursday by ACLU-NH shows zero encounters occurred from January to May 2024 by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In a letter from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ACLU-NH on a Freedom of Information Act appeal, the federal agency said there were no apprehensions or encounters from Jan. 1 to April 30, the timeframe requested.

“By this letter we affirm FOIA Division’s determination that there are no responsive records – which means there were no apprehensions or encounters in New Hampshire during the period your request for US Border Patrol apprehensions and encounters specified.”

ACLU-NH said: “This data all follows a similar pattern to the 21 apprehensions by Border Patrol that occurred from the previous 15 months, from October 2022 through December 2023. That data was released earlier this year as the result of a settlement in the ACLU of New Hampshire’s lawsuit seeking the information.”