Montana
Montana immigration lawyer answers questions about the immigration process
HELENA — For nearly three decades, Missoula-based immigration attorney Randall Caudle has helped clients navigate the often-complicated path to legal residency and citizenship in the United States. Caudle, who runs River Mountain Immigration, sat down with MTN’s Jessica Nelson to shed light on the process, especially for Mexican nationals, and to offer insight into how immigration enforcement and policy play out in rural states like Montana.
(Watch MTN’s full interview with lawyer Randall Caudle)
Montana immigration lawyer discusses U.S. immigration process and answers questions
Caudle says the path to citizenship is rarely straightforward. “There is no legal pathway for 95% of immigrants that want to come here,” he said. “It’s not like back during the Ellis Island days when people could just get on a boat and show up at Ellis Island and immigrate here.” He added that Montana’s immigration office is among the most efficient in the country. “Most cases are getting to interview there in like six months, maybe sometimes less, sometimes a little more, but they are quick. If you are in San Francisco, you are probably going to be waiting a year and a half.”
He noted delays and denials are often caused by incomplete documentation, misunderstandings about eligibility, and lengthy government backlogs. Caudle says financial costs can also be a hurdle, with fees starting at $2,200 just to apply for a green card.
He added if an individual has entered the U.S. illegally once before and been removed, they are subject to a 10-year ban. If they reenter unlawfully a second time, they face a permanent bar from legal status. “Realistically, if you are deported, you are probably never going to be able to get any legal status in the U.S.,” he said.
Caudle also pointed to lesser-known issues that can derail an application. “Minor criminal issues are problematic for immigration,” he said. “At the beginning of this year, the first bill that Trump signed was a bill making shoplifting basically a major issue, you know, preventing you from immigration benefits.”
“In Montana, I had to warn clients about smoking pot and hunting because even though smoking pot is legal in 36 states, it is still a federal crime and it still prevents you from getting any immigration benefits,” he said. “Hunting, you may get a ticket for a hunting violation and you just pay the ticket and think, ‘Oh, that’s no big deal.’ Well, it is a firearms violation, which is also majorly problematic for immigration purposes.”
Montana
Half a million absentee ballots sent to Montana voters for primary election • Daily Montanan
Ballots for Montana’s June 2 primary began to hit voters’ mailboxes this weekend.
According to the Secretary of State’s website, 509,399 absentee ballots were mailed to voters. As of Monday morning, 358 voters had already returned their ballots.
“Montana’s 2026 Primary Election is well underway, and the Montana Election Team is honored to serve our voters,” Secretary of state Christi Jacobsen said in a press release. “As a reminder, Montanans can view their sample ballot, track their absentee ballot, confirm their voter registration information, and much more at VoteMT.gov.”
Voted ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, June 2nd.
The Montana Election Team reminds absentee voters to sign, date, and add their birth year when returning their absentee ballot. County election officials provide instructions in the ballot packet, and more information is also available online at https://votemt.gov/absentee-ballot/.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 10 drawing
06-22-28-31, Bonus: 08
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
The Socorro Independent School District honored and celebrated its top two educators at the 2026 Teacher of the Year Gala on Friday, May 8 at the El Paso Convention Center.
Cristina Garcia, a fifth-grade teacher at Mission Ridge Elementary School, was recognized as the 2026 SISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. Javier Esparza, an audio and video broadcast teacher at Socorro High School, was named the 2026 SISD Secondary Teacher of the Year.
https://www.ktsm.com/news/socorro-isd-honors-top-2-teachers-at-gala-celebration/
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