Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is calling on the Gallatin County Commission to reject legal guidance from the Democrat county attorney and partner with the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Knudsen criticized a recent legal opinion from Democrat Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell that advised the commission not to enter into an intergovernmental services agreement (IGSA) with ICE. The proposed agreement would allow the Gallatin County Detention Center to hold individuals in the country illegally until they can be processed through the federal immigration system.
Knudsen labeled Cromwell’s legal assessment as “flawed” and “politically motivated,” arguing that it failed to provide substantive legal reasoning and ignored critical public safety concerns.
“The American people, however, spoke loudly and clearly in November 2024,” Knudsen wrote, referring to the re-election of President Donald Trump. “They sent Donald Trump back to the White House to secure our border, remove dangerous criminals and drugs from our streets, and end sanctuary jurisdictions. Montanans were likewise clear that they wanted their state and federal officials to support President Trump’s agenda, not undermine it.”
The attorney general contends that without formal cooperation between local law enforcement and ICE, dangerous individuals could be released back into Montana communities, increasing the risk of further crimes. He emphasized that the IGSA is a critical tool in removing non-citizens with criminal records from the state.
Montana has experienced a sharp rise in drug-related crimes in recent years, which Knudsen attributes to a porous southern border. According to state data, fentanyl seizures have surged from 1,900 doses in 2019 to over 275,000 in 2024 — an increase of more than 14,000 percent. Fentanyl-related deaths have also spiked, with 262 reported fatalities during President Joe Biden’s term.
Most recently, Montana anti-drug task forces intercepted 4,900 carfentanil pills — a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than fentanyl — that were reportedly trafficked by Mexican drug cartels.
Knudsen was in Yuma, Arizona this week for a southern border briefing and used the opportunity to highlight the impact of federal immigration policies on Montana. He thanked Customs and Border Protection agents for their service and praised the Trump Administration’s efforts to secure the border.
Earlier this year, Knudsen signed an agreement with federal authorities allowing Montana Highway Patrol and Division of Criminal Investigation agents to assist in immigration enforcement. He has also joined a multistate coalition defending efforts to deport members of Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang with a known presence in Montana.
The Gallatin County Commission has not yet indicated whether it will act on Cromwell’s legal advice or pursue the proposed agreement with ICE.