Businesses across New Hampshire shut their doors for a day in support of the ‘Immigrants’ Day Without’ campaign, a protest day where businesses close down and employees abstain from work to highlight immigrants’ significant contribution to the workforce. Notably, a bakery in Nashua participated in this movement. On the said Monday, solidarity was observed nationwide, resonating in every corner of the country.
Socorro Gonzalez, owner of La Mexicana, decided to join the initiative by closing her bakery in downtown Nashua. La Mexicana has become an iconic establishment in the neighborhood, known for its Mexican bread and a variety of sweets. They also sell ingredients needed to prepare authentic Mexican dishes.
“Our store is a Mexican bakery, but our support extends beyond Mexicans to migrants from every walk of life,” said Gonzalez. Immigrant workers in New Hampshire earned approximately $4.6 billion between 2018 and 2022, which accounted for nearly 7% of state household income, according to data from the Official Bureau of Economic and Labor Market Information.
In Massachusetts, religious leaders are pushing back against a Trump administration decision that allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to carry out arrests in religious spaces. This move has stirred up resistance among the clergy and followers as religious places have traditionally offered refuge to those in need.
Last week, over a thousand people tuned in as officials suggested measures that institutions could take should ICE appear at their doorsteps. Amidst the growing apprehensions of possible raids, religious figures also emphasized the need for calm, highlighting that ICE resources are limited and they believe places of worship are not the focus of immigration law enforcement.
Pointing to this concern, Susan Church, the operations director of Office for Refugees and Immigrants, expressed her doubts about the likelihood of ICE targeting churches. She reassured the representatives of the faith that apprehensions within their religious spaces are not a priority for ICE.
Before the training conducted for dealing with such possibilities, 26 faith leaders signed a declaration emphasizing the sanctity of churches as sanctuaries. The affirmation stated, ‘This does not change with any emperor, king, or president.’
In other news, a New Hampshire tram safety board member stated there were ‘no indications’ of issues with the Attitash chairlift before an accident. A man was hospitalized and is now recovering after his ski lift plummeted 20 feet to the ground on a Sunday afternoon at the Attitash. The incident did not cause any other injuries.
Mark Petrozzi, a member of the New Hampshire Passenger Tramway Safety Board, called the incident ‘rare’ and pointed out there were no signs that the ski lift would malfunction. “We have a very specific set of inspectors with a corresponding set of requirements which they review using multiple checklists… and if they fail, they cannot operate and I know that’s exactly what happened here,” Petrozzi shared.
Petrozzi pointed out that the safety board with other officials are now working with the chairlift manufacturer to figure out what caused the malfunction. Meanwhile, there is no clear timeline on when the full report on this incident will be made available.
In political news, New Hampshire Senator, Maggie Hassan, was one of the 13 Democrats opposed to Robert Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as health secretary. During Kennedy’s hearing in front of a committee, Hassan criticized him for his history of promoting unfounded connections between vaccines and childhood autism.
Senator Hassan voiced her concerns about casting doubt on established science, drawing from her experience raising her adult son with cerebral palsy. The aftermath effects of unfounded science could be disastrous, Hassan highlighted, reinforcing how all decisions should be backed by verified science.
Addressing the state’s housing shortage was a top agenda during a session in the New Hampshire House. Housing advocates, homebuilders, and brokers rallied for action against the situation. A proposal was discussed in the session that would give all homeowners the right to construct an independent auxiliary dwelling unit (ADU) of up to 950 square feet.
Joe Alexander, a Republican representative from Goffstown and main sponsor of the proposal, stated, “ADUs offer a flexible and efficient way of creating additional living space, whether for elder family members, young adults starting out, or as rental units to help homeowners deal with rising costs.” However, the New Hampshire Municipal Association opposes the bill, stating it could affect local control. Under current law, cities and towns are required to allow ADUs, but the law does not require them to permit independent units.