By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD — Following a deadly shooting in Dallas at a federal ICE office, New Hampshire House Majority Leader Jason Osborne called on New Hampshire House Democrats to withdraw bills aimed at restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agencies.
The bills are sponsored by Democratic State Representatives David Meuse, Buzz Scherr, Alexis Simpson, Zoe Manos and Alissandra Murray.
House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson said: “Today’s shooting of detainees at an ICE facility in Texas is yet another reminder of the precarious times we live in. Time and time again, dangerous people who shouldn’t have access to guns are able to obtain them to commit horrific acts of violence. Democrats will continue advocating for policies that protect public safety while preserving the constitutional rights of Americans.”
Osborne, the Auburn Republican said, “Public safety must come before the left’s political theater. New Hampshire will not be a sanctuary for violent criminals. We will stand with law enforcement, we will defend our communities, and we will not surrender to those who put political ideology above the safety of our citizens.”
“These bills are not harmless — they are reckless,” Osborne said. “They would cripple cooperation with federal authorities, weaken our police, and ensure dangerous criminals remain on our streets. And let’s be clear: the left’s relentless campaign to vilify ICE has consequences. It emboldens violent criminals, it fuels assaults on officers, and it puts American families in harm’s way.”
The bills he cited include the following which have been filed and are in title-only form.
HB 2436 – Limiting the use of state, county, and municipal funds for construction and operation of certain immigrant detention facilities (Prime Sponsor: Rep. David Meuse).
HB 2448 – Relative to governmental budget authority for agreements for law enforcement agencies to participate in federal immigration enforcement (Prime Sponsor: Rep. Buzz Scherr).
HB 2454 – Relative to requirements for law enforcement officers assisting in immigration enforcement (Prime Sponsor: Rep. Alexis Simpson).
HB 2541 – Relative to reporting of civil immigration detentions by state and local law enforcement and correctional facilities (Prime Sponsor: Rep. Zoe Manos).
HB 3099 – Requiring quarterly reports from counties, municipalities, or any other political subdivisions of the state that enter into certain agreements with the federal government concerning assistance with federal immigration enforcement (Prime Sponsor: Rep. Alissandra Murray).
The Dallas Morning News reported on the shooting at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in Dallas early in the day.
It said two people are dead, while two other wounded individuals were transported to a local hospital and that the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
FBI director Kash Patel released a photograph on social media showing a shell casing inscribed with the words “Anti-ICE.”
The publication said Next Generation Action Network, an advocacy organization that has staged protests against ICE, characterized the shooting as a byproduct of rhetoric from President Donald Trump’s administration.
“We do not condone violence in any form and extend our heartfelt prayers to everyone impacted,” said the group’s president, Dominique Alexander. “When the White House and the President’s administration normalize division instead of calling for peace and unity, chaos becomes the norm,” the Dallas Morning News report read.
In a statement, Dallas council member Adam Bazaldua stressed unity in lieu of finger-pointing.
“I’m seeing some of our political leaders rush to exploit this tragedy for political gain instead of acknowledging the pain and fear it represents,” he said.
“I want to be abundantly clear: Here in Dallas – and across this country – immigrants are our friends.”
Osborne issued a press release that said, “Today’s tragedy in Dallas is a grim reminder of the real dangers posed when law enforcement is prevented from working with federal partners to identify, detain, and remove dangerous individuals from our communities…At a time when our nation is already reeling from evil political violence, the last thing New Hampshire should be doing is advancing bills that would tie the hands of our public safety professionals.”