By ZACH LAIRD, InDepthNH.org
PORTSMOUTH, NH — After an Omni aircraft carrying about 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees was stranded Monday at 1 a.m. at Portsmouth International Airport during a blizzard, those onboard received food and beverages while still on the tarmac and before they left at about 8 a.m. Tuesday.
According to a press release from the Pease Development Authority, the airport coordinated with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other agencies to provide space within the terminal to safely accommodate all detainees who arrived in Portsmouth.
There were also 40 crew members onboard. The detainees were accommodated until the aircraft was able to be de-iced and it departed safely around 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Rep. Alice Wade, D-Dover, and Portsmouth Assistant Mayor JoAnna Kelley arrived at the airport Monday evening during the storm to confirm the detainees were warm and safe.
Wade said seven other people accompanied them, but they weren’t allowed inside the locked terminal and were not able to see the detainees, but were told they were warm and being fed.
Wade said the flight came from Texas and planned to land at Pease to refuel before flying to the Middle East.
Wade stressed that one of the biggest issues was the lack of communication. She said ICE would not respond to any inquiries on the status of the detainees, which created confusion and concern about their safety. Wade said she was told that the detainees were kept restrained while they were inside the terminal.
“They were stuck on the tarmac and after several hours, they ended up pulling the plane to the terminal. The ICE detainees were taken into the terminal to be kept warm. Around 5:00 p.m. is when a bunch of pizzas were delivered for the passengers… I’m glad they were kept warm and fed, but it just seems like there wasn’t any preparation or procedure to deal with this situation where the detainees might be stranded to manage that properly,” Wade said.
Wade said it is a misconception that ICE is going after “the worst of the worst, and they’re not.” She said that ICE — which has expanded operations to target people who have lived in the U.S. for a long time without committing a crime — is trying to meet a certain quota of arrests per day.
“There’s nobody saying that violent criminals shouldn’t be deported, I’m in support of that. It’s the fact that they’re going after people that are doing their best to make life better for themselves and their families, (and) catching innocent people in the crossfire,” Wade said.
Portsmouth City Attorney Susan G. Morrell said, “We regretfully have no authority over the actions of Homeland Security and ICE, and we have no authority over what is taking place at the airport.”
Officials from the Department of Homeland Security and ICE could not be reached for comments.