Montana city under investigation for potential violation of sanctuary city ban

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Montana's Republican attorney general said Wednesday he's investigating the city of Helena for potential violations of the state's sanctuary city ban, after city officials passed a resolution discouraging cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

The investigation comes amid heightened tensions nationally over President Donald Trump's aggressive enforcement of immigration laws, which has sparked protests in many cities. Trump has said he intends to cut off federal funding for states home to “sanctuary cities” that resist his immigration policies.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said Helena faces a fine of up to $10,000 for every five days it’s found to be in violation of a 2021 state law that compels local authorities to cooperate with federal immigration agents.

The resolution in Helena states city officials shall not disclose to outside agencies “any sensitive information,” such as a person's immigration status or national origin.

“This is clearly the City Council of Helena thumbing its nose at the Montana Legislature,” Knudsen said during a press conference announcing the investigation.

Helena officials said they had not received official notice of the investigation but were aware of Knudsen’s announcement. The resolution in dispute was approved last month following “careful consideration of applicable local, state and federal law," the city said in a statement.

“The City believes the resolution is consistent with those legal requirements,” the statement said. “The City remains committed to upholding all applicable federal and state laws.”

Nearly half of states have prohibitions against sanctuary cities, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for reduced immigration.

Knudsen was flanked at Wednesday's announcement by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte, who said federal agents had been put in “difficult situations” that 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

Gianforte called the deaths tragedies but said that does not give local governments the right to ignore state law.