Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen says his office wont negotiate with the city of Helena, as they consider whether to adopt a new resolution on immigration enforcement.Last month, the Helena City Commission repealed the re solution it had approved in January, which clarified policies for when and how the Helena Police Department would cooperate with federal immigration officials including saying the city won't disclose a person's immigration status unless required by law. Knudsens office had threatened legal action over the resolution, arguing it violated Montanas law banning sanctuary cities.(Watch the video for the latest on Knudsen's response.) Montana AG says DOJ will not negotiate with Helena over immigration policyHelena leaders said their goal wasnt to create a sanctuary city or challenge federal or state law. They called for putting together amended language for a new resolution clarifying that it would allow sharing of immigration information for a lawful purpose and submitting it to Knudsen to see if it addressed his objections.However, Knudsen responded with a letter Friday, saying he had no intention of working together with the city on this issue.So let me take this opportunity to disabuse the City (and other localities) of the notion that compliance with Montanas anti-sanctuary city law is a collaborative enterprise, he wrote. The Legislature was clear when it enacted Mont. Code Ann. 2-1-602: local governments dont get to set their own immigration policies.Should the City choose to waste additional taxpayer resources by adopting another ordinance, my office will evaluate that policy for compliance with state law, Knudsen added.Knudsen did confirm that his initial investigation into the city is closed because the resolution was repealed.MTN reached out to Helena City Manager Alana Lake for a response to Knudsens letter.We remain focused on what matters most: delivering safe neighborhoods, reliable services, and responsible stewardship of public resources, Lake said in a statement. We believe Montanans are best served by cooperation, clarity, and mutual respect across all levels of government. Complex issues deserve thoughtful solutions, grounded in public safety and community trust. The City will continue to move forward with transparency, accountability, and a steady commitment to serving all the people of Helena.Last week, Knudsens office announced they believed another local government, Gallatin County, had failed to follow state law in its interactions with ICE. The county attorney has pushed back against that claim. ...read more read less