Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen this week weighed in on questions about expanding Gallatin County’s assistance to federal immigration authorities, calling legal guidance from the local county attorney on the matter “flawed” in part because it runs against President Donald Trump’s agenda.
The discussion about dedicating 10 jail beds for federal immigration detainees has already dissolved in Gallatin County, but Knudsen, a Republican, has been an ardent supporter of Trump’s politics since taking office in 2021. In a letter dated May 21, he accused Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell of political opposition to federal immigration enforcement, rather than advising county officials based on legal analysis.
