Helena Faces Penalties in Sanctuary City Fight

State leaders warn of potential legal troubles and funding losses for the city over immigration resolution.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The city of Helena, Montana is facing potential legal action and financial penalties from the state government over a city council resolution that limits local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Governor Greg Gianforte and Attorney General Austin Knudsen have announced the state will investigate the resolution, which they say violates Montana's ban on sanctuary cities.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between state and local governments over immigration enforcement policies, with the state government seeking to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities. The outcome could set an important precedent for how much autonomy local governments have to adopt policies that diverge from state laws.

The details

The Helena city council passed a resolution directing local police to not assist ICE and other federal immigration agents. State leaders claim this violates Montana's 5-year-old ban on sanctuary cities. Attorney General Knudsen says the city could face a $10,000 fine for every 5 days the policy is in effect, as well as the potential loss of state Coal Board funding. The city maintains the resolution was carefully crafted to be consistent with state and federal laws.

  • The sanctuary city ban was enacted by the Montana Legislature 5 years ago.
  • The Helena city council passed the immigration resolution yesterday.

The players

Greg Gianforte

The Governor of Montana.

Austin Knudsen

The Attorney General of Montana.

City of Helena

The local government of Helena, Montana that passed the immigration resolution.

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What they’re saying

“This resolution appears to limit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agents, potentially a direct violation of our sanctuary city ban.”

— Greg Gianforte, Governor (montanatalks.com)

“Depending on the outcome of that court hearing, the City of Helena is at real risk of losing Coal Board funding, which I suspect is not insignificant. On top of that, they're looking at a $10,000 fine for every 5 days this policy is in effect.”

— Austin Knudsen, Attorney General (montanatalks.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to allow the Helena immigration resolution to remain in effect.

The takeaway

This dispute highlights the ongoing clash between state and local governments over immigration policies, with significant financial and legal consequences at stake for the city of Helena.