Keene police chief says city officers did not assist ICE operation

Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 11:15 PM

He also said he does not know how many people were arrested and has had no recent contact with ICE officials.

Keene Police Chief Steve Stewart said Thursday that city officers did not escort federal immigration agents or help them carry out recent activity in town.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in Keene over the weekend and again on Monday, and at least one immigration arrest was made. Stewart’s comments marked his first response to requests from The Sentinel about the agency’s presence.

He said he believes the federal agents have already left the city. He also said he does not know how many people were arrested and has had no recent contact with ICE officials.

According to Stewart, the only interaction with local police was a brief check-in and temporary use of the Keene Police Department parking lot. He said the agents appeared to be waiting for one another to arrive and did not ask for any help from the department.

Stewart said he does not see a need for local police to be involved in ICE operations, given the department’s regular duties in Keene. At the same time, he said officers would still respond if federal agents were involved in a confrontation and needed assistance.

He said no such situation occurred during the recent visits.