Montana Gov: Northern Border State Has ‘Southern Border Problem’
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte successfully enforced his state's sanctuary city ban by compelling Helena to withdraw its resolution refusing cooperation with immigration authorities.
Speaking on Breitbart News Daily, Gianforte, who leads the Republican Governors Association, detailed his administration’s approach to dealing with blue cities that attempted to ignore state immigration law, according to Breitbart News.
The governor explained that after signing legislation prohibiting sanctuary cities in Montana, several communities attempted to circumvent the new law. Rather than allowing local defiance, Gianforte worked directly with his Attorney General to compel compliance.
Helena, the state capital and a Democratic stronghold, passed a resolution refusing cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The governor’s office responded with what he described as a courteous but firm letter notifying city officials they were violating state law. The city subsequently withdrew its sanctuary resolution.
Despite Montana’s location along the northern border, Gianforte emphasized that his state faces significant consequences from southern border failures under the Biden administration. Law enforcement has arrested cartel members operating on Indian reservations and in Bozeman, bringing drug trafficking directly into Montana communities.
The governor confirmed that dangerous narcotics entering Montana originate primarily from Mexico, traveling north through Interstate 15. Fentanyl and cocaine shipments, along with methamphetamine supplied by Mexican cartels, have replaced locally-produced drugs in the state.
Montana shares the longest Canadian border of any U.S. state, but Gianforte noted that crossings remain relatively few and the terrain largely rural. Border security concerns with Canada pale in comparison to the drug trafficking consequences stemming from the porous southern border with Mexico.
The Republican governor’s enforcement strategy offers a blueprint for other conservative states confronting local governments that attempt to undermine state immigration laws through sanctuary policies.
Breitbart News Daily broadcasts weekdays on SiriusXM Patriot 125 from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.
With information from Breitbart News
