Kelly Ayotte said she told federal authorities that Merrimack should be consulted about potential plans to build an Immigrations and Custom Enforcement detention facility in the town, given the potential impacts the facility could have on facets of town life like traffic and emergency services. "I made quite clear both to the Department of Homeland Security as well as to the White House that I thought it was critical that there be full information provided to Merrimack,” Ayotte told reporters at a press conference Wednesday. The town of Merrimack said it has gotten no confirmation regarding the plan, telling NHPR it found about the potential facility from press coverage. Neither ICE nor any other federal entity has confirmed the plan, to journalists or to Ayotte. "Except that the lever I do have I'm exercising," she said, "which is telling [federal authorities] what I firmly believe.