By With recent actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) gaining national attention, it leaves us questioning what effect ICE will have on our lives here in Montana.
The recent fatal shootings in Minnesota of Renee Good on Jan. 7 and Alex Pretti on Jan. 24, by ICE agents have heightened the intensity of national conversations over the presence of ICE across the country.
Within Montana, various vigils and protests were organised in response to Good’s death; in Missoula, “some held signs expressing anger towards the federal agency,” whilst “others showed up to grieve Renee Nicole Good,” reported MTN News.
The conversation over the ICE presence in Helena gained attention after the wrongful arrest and subsequent detention of Helena resident Christopher Martinez Marvan following a traffic stop in July.
This was a case of mistaken identity, and Marvan’s prosecution argued that racial profiling led to his arrest, reported Fairbanks from The Livingstone Enterprise.
With a local spotlight being cast on the topic of ICE in Helena, the Helena City Commission stated that they support a resolution to curb the city’s involvement with ICE, reported Wagner from Montana Free Press.
The influence of ICE within local law enforcement is becoming more prevalent as a result of the increased support for the 287(g) program. The official government website states that this program, which was initially introduced after 9/11, “enhances the safety and security of our nation’s communities by allowing ICE to partner with state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to identify and remove criminal illegal aliens who are amenable to removal from the U.S.”
One section of the 287(g) program which acts as a “force multiplier for law enforcement agencies to enforce their limited immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties” is the Task Force Model.
The only county in Montana which has agreed to this program is Garfield County, who signed on Aug. 28. Montana Attorney General, Austin Knudsen, also signed an agreement to enforce the Task Force Model on Mar. 5.
The Montana Department of Justice official website states that this agreement will authorize Montana Highway Patrol troopers “to arrest illegal aliens in Montana and work together with ICE to deport them.”
The Helena Police Department (HPD) issued an Immigration Law Compliance document in August in response to local concerns after Marvan’s arrest, in which they addressed the public’s frequently asked questions.
The document clearly states that “the HPD does not participate in the 287(g) program and has no intention of doing so”. However, with ICE being a federal agency, local law enforcement have no choice but to comply with some of their demands.
For instance, the “HPD cannot restrict the exchange of immigration status information” with ICE. Yet, the document states that the “HPD and the City of Helena do not grant authority to federal agents” nor do they “participate in deceptive tactics or false pretenses for immigration enforcement”.
Local communities can still make efforts to inform their residents of an increased ICE presence, with this already occurring in Helena with the addition of public posters informing people of their rights when it comes to interactions with ICE agents and local law enforcement who may be working with them.
Despite only Garfield County agreeing to the enforcement of the Task Force Model, Montana can likely expect an increased ICE presence statewide due to a national focus being placed on immigration.
With the expectation of this change, it is helpful to know what our local law enforcement’s attitudes are toward the federal agency, and there is some comfort in knowing that the Helena Police Department and the Helena City Commission’s main priority is the safety of their community.
