Montana
Montana Attorney General signs agreement to let MHP assist with federal immigration enforcement
HELENA — Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen says he has signed an agreement with federal authorities that will eventually lead to Montana Highway Patrol troopers assisting with enforcement of immigration laws.
The Montana Department of Justice reached a memorandum of agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. It says MHP troopers and agents with DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation will be able to go through federal training, then have the authority to interrogate people for suspected immigration violations and arrest and detain people they believe are in the U.S. illegally.
(Watch the video to hear from Attorney General Knudsen about the new agreement.)
Montana Attorney General signs agreement to let MHP assist with federal immigration enforcement
Knudsen said the agreement was a way for the state to support the Trump administration’s efforts to step up immigration enforcement and detention. He said his officers have previously had to contact federal authorities and have ICE come in when they suspected someone was in the country illegally.
“They’re going to be basically deputized as federal immigration agents, have all those same federal powers,” said Knudsen. “So we’re not having to wait on the side of the road or at a local jail for ICE to show up and do their job; we’re going to be trained and we can do it for them.”
Knudsen said it’s becoming increasingly common for his officers to identify people they suspect are in the country illegally – DCI agents often through drug investigations and MHP troopers often through traffic stops. He said that suspicion generally arises in the course of an investigation, as officers find someone doesn’t have valid identification.
The training will be conducted primarily online. There’s no specific timeline yet for when the first DOJ employee will complete the training and begin doing these operations.
Knudsen said ICE will cover the cost of training, but that the number of officers who go through it will be limited at first by time and staffing needs. However, he said ideally all troopers would eventually go through the program.
“We’re seeing this activity really statewide – it’s not just a Billings problem, it’s not just a Bozeman or Butte problem,” he said. “We really are seeing these foreign nationals, catching them all over the state, so I don’t think this is something that we’re going to focus in just one spot.”
HELENA — When President Donald Trump announced a plan last week to import more beef from Argentina, it drew quick criticism from ranchers in Montana. Now, Montana’s members of Congress say they’re pushing the administration to change course.
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines told MTN he quickly began hearing from Montanans in the cattle business after reports came out about Trump’s plan.
“The word I would describe is they feel betrayed,” he said.
(Watch the video to hear more reaction from Montana’s congressional delegation.)
Montana’s congressional delegation pushing back on plan to import beef from Argentina
Daines said Montana beef producers have already been under pressure from drought and market forces. He said this step was “an unforced error” by the administration.
All four members of Montana’s congressional delegation are Republicans. They all say the Republican president’s plan was the wrong direction and that they’ve made that case when speaking with administration leaders.
U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, who represents Montana’s western congressional district, says he understands why Trump wanted to tackle high beef prices, but that this wasn’t the right way for him to do it.
“Having a healthy cattle industry, having a healthy poultry industry and having a healthy supply chain for food is really national security,” he told MTN. “So he understands that, and I think we’re going to see some action in making sure or calming a lot of the fears from the cattlemen out there.”
Earlier this year, Daines visited Argentina and met with its conservative president, Javier Milei, during a South American tour advocating for Trump’s trade policies. He said his opinions on the country and its government don’t play any role in his feelings on this proposed deal.
“I don’t care if this is Argentinian beef or beef coming from anywhere else in the world,” he said. “The answer for what’s going on right now in the markets is not to import more beef – bottom line. It doesn’t matter where it comes from; it happens to be Argentina.”
Daines said it would be better for Montana’s cattle industry for the U.S. to focus on opening export markets rather than import markets. In 2017, Daines celebrated an agreement that led to China buying millions of dollars in Montana beef – but he said Thursday that the country has shut the doors to American beef during the ongoing trade dispute with the Trump administration.
“We were shipping over $1 billion a year in beef last year, and now it’s gone to zero,” he said.
In a statement to MTN, Sen. Tim Sheehy said he’s been talking with Trump and his team, looking for a path forward.
“Empowering hardworking ranchers who feed America and lowering prices for American families at the grocery store are not mutually exclusive,” he said. “Both can be accomplished by lowering input costs and providing a reliable, pro-growth environment for producers so ranchers can grow their operation, capture more of the value they create, and feed the nation with affordable, healthy, high-quality beef.”
Zinke and Daines say they also see areas where the federal government can make moves that will benefit both Montana ranchers and Montana consumers. Daines wants Congress to do more to tackle the huge market share four large packing companies have in the beef industry – a situation he calls a “monopoly.”
“Our ranchers don’t set the price; that price is set for them,” he said.
Zinke wants to put additional emphasis on country-of-origin labeling for beef.
“In Montana, we have a brand and that brand has value,” he said. “When it’s made in Montana, you know it’s at the top, the quality is there. And our ranchers sell premium product – that’s important.”
Daines said he supports country-of-origin labeling also, though he wants to make sure any additional steps the U.S. takes doesn’t lead to unintended consequences or retribution from countries like Canada.
WESTERN MONTANA — Here’s a look at Western Montana’s top news stories for Wednesday.
The University of Montana removed Business Professor Anthony Richard Pawlisz from faculty after he was charged with criminal endangerment in Ravalli County court. Pawlisz allegedly pulled a gun on a man and fired a shot into the air after a fight outside of a bar in Florence on Aug. 17, according to court documents. His former class will continue under Professor Udo Fluck. (Read the full story)
Nathaniel Luke Smith pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct on Monday after posing a threat to Mission High School on Oct. 8, which prompted increased police presence while classes continued. Smith is also serving a three-year deferred sentence for intimidation from an incident in November 2024. (Read the full story)
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said he will not be using state funds to temporarily cover SNAP benefits for nearly 78,000 enrolled Montanans if federal funding runs out on Nov. 1. Amidst a government shutdown, he said it’s a federal responsibility — despite calls from Democrats and food banks to use leftover state money. (Read the full story)
Dallas attorney Tony Box running for Texas attorney general
Inter Miami looks for 20th win of season, takes on Nashville
Amid rash of shoplifting incidents in Boston, business owners worry while officials say progress is being made – The Boston Globe
Attorneys say the City of Denver doesn’t have enough money to pay clients’ settlements, but the city disagrees
Seattle Reign’s Laura Harvey says ChatGPT inspired NWSL tactics: ‘It said play a back five, so I did’
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
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Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
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