Montana AG Investigates Helena Over Recent City Approval
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced an investigation last week into the city of Helena following the City Commission’s approval of a resolution limiting cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The investigation, announced jointly with Governor Greg Gianforte, centers on whether Helena’s actions violate a 2021 state law prohibiting “sanctuary cities.”
The Helena City Commission voted 4-1 on January 26th to adopt the resolution, which directs the Helena Police Department to “avoid” assisting federal authorities with immigration enforcement. The move followed a period of public debate, including three hours of testimony before the commission and came after the killings of two U.S. Citizens by ICE agents in Minnesota, according to Governor Gianforte.
Governor Gianforte, speaking at a press conference with Knudsen, stated that the tragedies “do not provide local government the right to ignore laws that have been passed by the state of Montana.” He specifically referenced House Bill 200, signed into law in 2021, which explicitly bans sanctuary cities and prohibits state and local governments from enacting policies that refuse cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The resolution specifically prohibits the Helena Police Department from entering into a 287(g) agreement with ICE, a partnership that allows state and local law enforcement officers to perform immigration enforcement functions. It also instructs police to request that ICE agents remain unmasked and identify themselves, unless doing so would impede federal work. The resolution restricts the city from disclosing a resident’s place of birth, immigration status, or national origin without a court order.
Attorney General Knudsen’s office will lead the investigation, with the governor suggesting that the city may have already violated state law. Gianforte indicated that the investigation into Helena is intended to send a message to all local governments in Montana, warning of penalties for non-compliance with state law regarding immigration enforcement.
The investigation comes as Montana Republicans have taken a firm stance against policies perceived as hindering federal immigration enforcement. The state’s 2021 law, House Bill 200, allows for civil legal action and the imposition of fines against jurisdictions found to be in violation of the sanctuary city ban, originally authored by state Representative Kenneth Holmlund.
As of February 19, 2026, the city of Helena has not publicly responded to the announced investigation. The Attorney General’s office has not specified a timeline for the completion of the investigation.