BOZEMAN — Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is demanding that Gallatin County share confidential criminal justice information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sparking a legal battle over immigration enforcement.
The state is giving Gallatin County until 5 p.m. Monday to comply with state law. The county must issue a memo directing all relevant personnel to share confidential information with ICE for civil immigration enforcement. If the county refuses, the state will invoke supervisory control over the county attorney's office.
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Knudsen's most recent letter to Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell, dated April 23, 2026, states that Gallatin County claims ICE does not always qualify as a law enforcement agency, contending the federal agency primarily performs civil immigration enforcement functions. Because of this, the county created a policy to restrict the sharing of certain information without a court order.
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Knudsen says this policy violates Montana law, explaining that ICE is a criminal justice agency in all contexts. State officials note withholding this information puts the safety of Montanans in jeopardy. Knudsen pointed out that last year, ICE agents arrested six known members of a Venezuelan criminal organization in Gallatin County.
Knudsen added that the county policy also jeopardizes a national information-sharing system that allows the federal government and states to exchange criminal history records.
Gallatin County recently requested a legal opinion on sharing information with ICE, but the state denied that request.
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