Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said he is investigating Helena for potential violations of the state’s sanctuary city ban, after the city approved a resolution that discourages cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Knudsen announced the investigation on Wednesday, framing it as a response to the city’s action and citing a state law from 2021 that requires local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration agents.
Knudsen said Helena could face a penalty of up to $10,000 for every five days the city is found to be in violation. During a press conference announcing the investigation, Knudsen said: “This is clearly the City Council of Helena thumbing its nose at the Montana Legislature.”
Helena officials said they had not received official notice of the investigation, but they acknowledged Knudsen’s announcement. In a statement, the city said the resolution being disputed was approved last month after “careful consideration of applicable local, state and federal law,” and that city officials believed the resolution aligned with those legal requirements.
The resolution at issue says city officials shall not disclose to outside agencies “any sensitive information,” including a person’s immigration status or national origin. The city’s statement added that Helena “remains committed to upholding all applicable federal and state laws,” while contesting the state’s characterization of the resolution.
The investigation comes as sanctuary city rules and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement have become a flashpoint in the broader national debate over President Donald Trump’s approach to immigration. Trump has said he intends to cut off federal funding for states that are home to “sanctuary cities” that resist his immigration policies, according to the Associated Press report.
Knudsen also addressed the political context during the announcement, saying Helena’s decision amounted to defiance of state law. Gov. Greg Gianforte stood with him and said federal agents had been put in “difficult situations” that, he said, resulted in people being killed—an apparent reference to the shooting deaths of protesters Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal immigration officers in Minnesota.
Ferguson officials—along with groups that advocate for reduced immigration—have argued that state-level sanctuary city bans are meant to compel cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Nearly half of states have prohibitions against sanctuary cities, the Federation for American Immigration Reform said, according to the Associated Press report.