Gorham Police Chief Jimmy Willhoite is scheduled to speak at Monday night’s select board meeting about the department’s 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration, Customs and Enforcement.

Voters recommended the department withdraw from the agreement at last month’s town meeting, but Willhoite instead issued a memo defending his decision to continue under the ICE agreement, one of 15 law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire that have signed on.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire rebutted his reasons. Willhoite couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Sunday.

The meeting will be at the Gorham Town Hall starting at 6 p.m. and can also be live streamed here meeting. At the discretion of the Chair, those in attendance will have the opportunity for public comment of two minutes or less only on items that were presented at the meeting, according to the agenda, according to the agenda.

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 added Section 287(g) to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), authorizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to delegate state and local law enforcement officers the authority to perform specified immigration officer functions under ICE’s direction and oversight. More information is available here.

Gorham resident Abby Evankow, who is leading the effort for the department to withdraw, hopes to speak to the matter again at the meeting.

“The people have voted, but the chief seems to be ignoring us,” says Evankow. “It’s become not just a question of whether the police department will remain under ICE’s control; it’s a question of who governs the town, the people or the chief of police. The chief is an employee of the town. As a town employee, the chief should comply with the will of the people. Is Gorham a democracy or some kind of police state?”