This story was originally produced by the Portsmouth Herald. NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative.

Rockingham County has tabled its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement indefinitely, halting for now a plan to house up to 150 adult male detainees in the county jail.

The move was initiated at the Feb. 5 meeting by Commissioner Thomas Tombarello of Sandown, one of the board’s two Republicans, who in recent weeks has questioned whether partnering with federal immigration authorities is the right choice for the county. He was joined by his Democratic colleague, Kathryn Coyle of Portsmouth, who has maintained for months the contract is not in the county’s best interest.

Another factor driving Tombarello, he said, was the resignation of Jason Henry, the superintendent of the county’s Department of Corrections. With a high-level vacancy to fill, the time is not right to pursue an agreement of this magnitude, he said.

“We need to appoint a new superintendent who has a lot on their plate from the start,” Tombarello said, reading from prepared remarks at the meeting. “He or she will have a learning curve and needs our support.”

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