State of Montana Archives: on Immigration
Champ Edmunds:
Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry
Question topic: Government should enforce laws designed to protect the border and to prevent illegal entry of persons into the country.
Edmunds: Strongly Agree
Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Montana Senate race
Jul 2, 2014
Albert Olszewski:
State immigration enforcement is not discrimination
The plaintiff's attorney said the people of Montana have no business creating enforcement schemes, and that the law is "discriminatory" against "immigrants."
We soundly reject this and declare that it is wrong to place the interests of people who enter our country and state illegally over the rights and interests of lawful taxpayers, citizens, voters and working families.
Source: The Missoulian on 2018 Montana Senatorial race
Jun 2, 2016
Amanda Curtis:
Illegal aliens eligible for in-state tuition
Q: Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?A: Yes.
Q: Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Montana high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support the national Common Core State Standards initiative?
A: Yes.
Source: Montana Legislative Election 2012 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Greg Gianforte:
Oppose efforts to relocate refugees into Montana
Greg Gianforte opposes efforts to relocate refugees into Montana, and supports efforts to secure our country's borders.
He believes that only those immigrants who want to be Americans should receive the privilege of U.S. citizenship.
Source: MTStandard.com on 2016 Montana gubernatorial race
Jun 18, 2016
Greg Gianforte:
Ban sanctuary cities in Montana to maintain rule of law
We must maintain the rule of law. Montana has the highest violent crime rate in the northwest. And we saw an 8% increase in violent crime last year, even as our nation saw a decline.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are a nation of laws. That's why I support Representative Holmlund's bill to ban sanctuary cities in Montana.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature
Jan 28, 2021
Jon Tester:
Touts bipartisanship; voted against DREAM Act
Tester has touted his independence: running ads emphasizing his farming roots, his work on bipartisan Veterans Affairs legislation and his habit of bringing Montana bison meat back from his farm to Washington, D.C. He also voted against the
DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants brought here as children.
Source: The Hill coverage of 2012 Montana Senate debate
Jun 25, 2012
Jon Tester:
FactCheck: Opposes sanctuary cities, but don't punish them
MTN News examined a trio of ads airing in recent weeks, and the facts behind them: NRSC ad says Tester "supported amnesty and sanctuary cities":- Tester says he opposes sanctuary cities, but has voted several times against GOP bills aiming to
punish these cities, which sometimes refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. He says the bills unduly penalize law enforcement in these cities by withholding grant money, making those cities less safe.
- The "amnesty" charge stems from his 2013 vote for a comprehensive immigration bill, which beefed up border security and gave illegal aliens a path to citizenship that would have taken years--
but also allowed them to stay in the country under provisional legal status. It ultimately failed.
Source: KRTV.com MTN News AdWatch on 2018 Montana Senate race
Aug 28, 2018
Jon Tester:
Bipartisan reform with earned path to citizenship
Q: Support "DACA" recipients or "Dreamers," who grew up here after being brought here as children? Earned path to citizenship for other illegal immigrants?Matt Rosendale (R): No. Rule of law has been ignored & illegal immigrants allowed to flow
freely into this country without consequence.
Jon Tester (D): Rejected 2010 Dream Act. Criticized Trump ending DACA. Supported bipartisan bill with increased border security, visa rule tightening & earned path to citizenship.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Montana Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Matt Rosendale:
No in-state tuition for illegal immigrants
Q: Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?A: Yes.
Q: Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
A: Yes.
Q: Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Montana high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
A: No.
Source: Montana 2012 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Matt Rosendale:
Rule of law has been ignored for illegal immigrants
Q: Support "DACA" recipients or "Dreamers," who grew up here after being brought here as children? Earned path to citizenship for other illegal immigrants?Matt Rosendale (R): No. Opposes DACA & path to citizenship. Rule of law has been ignored
& illegal immigrants allowed to flow freely into this country without consequence.
Jon Tester (D): Criticized Trump ending DACA. Supported bipartisan bill with increased border security, visa rule tightening & earned path to citizenship.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Montana Senate race
Oct 9, 2018
Mike Cooney:
Montanans are welcoming, but very few refugees in state
Q: Will you accept refugees into Montana? Cooney: Montanans are a welcoming people. I've met with folks who have come to Montana and are making Montana their home and contributing to our communities.
Even Republican governors have come around on this issue because refugees go through a thorough vetting process and contribute to the workforce. The fact is we're dealing with very few refugee resettlements here in Montana.
Source: The Laurel Outlook on 2020 Montana gubernatorial debate
Mar 10, 2020
Ryan Zinke:
Punish those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants
Zinke indicates support of the following principles regarding immigration.-
Support financial punishments for those who knowingly employ illegal immigrants.
- Support state and local law enforcement officials enforcing federal immigration laws.
Source: Montana Congressional 2008 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2008
Sam Rankin:
Don't deport illegal immigrants
Q: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?A: No.
Q: Do you support allowing illegal immigrants, who were brought to the
United States as minors, to pursue citizenship without returning to their country of origin?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration law by state and local police?
A: Yes.
Source: Montana Election 2012 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2012
Steve Bullock:
Safety first; review protocols for Syrian refugees
Montana will not allow any terrorist organization to intimidate us into abandoning our values. The safety of Montanans is my top priority. No Syrian refugees have been settled in the state and we have had no formal requests to do so. Montana
has a process in place for considering refugee settlement requests; we are reviewing those protocols to ensure that if a request comes, we take all appropriate steps to ensure that the safety of Montanans will not be jeopardized by their placement.
Source: KPAX-TV-8 on Syrian Refugees in 2016 Montana governor race
Nov 16, 2015
Steve Bullock:
Public DACA support, also tries private persuasion with GOP
Bullock brings up the Trump administration's recent decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program protecting young undocumented immigrants. He spoke out publicly against the move when it happened, but he also privately confronted
John Kelly, Trump's chief of staff, about the program's survival when the retired general was serving as the Homeland Security secretary earlier this year.
Source: Politico.com on 2020 Montana gubernatorial race
Aug 19, 2018
Steve Bullock:
No Guard troops to border without asking state governor
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock says he'll never deploy National Guard troops "based simply on the whim of the President's morning Twitter habit." Bullock, a Democrat, said in a statement Thursday that the responsibility of sending
Guard soldiers anywhere is one of the most difficult things he faces. Bullock administration officials say the request for troops would have to come directly from the governor of a border state, and Montana has received no such requests as of Thursday.
Source: Helena Independent Record on 2020 Montana gubernatorial race
Apr 5, 2018
Steve Daines:
Comprehensive reform is the wrong approach; no amnesty
I believe that the bill passed by the Senate today [S. 744, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill] is the wrong approach to immigration reform, and I will work to stop it should it reach the House. I support the step-by-step approach that the House
Judiciary Committee is taking, because it correctly recognizes that our first priority must be strengthening and securing the border and addressing the major deficiencies in our interior enforcement. Until we make these essential improvements, our nation
will continue to struggle with illegal immigration. I believe we should also continue retaining high-skilled workers who have been educated in the US and work to make the process for legal immigration efficient and understandable for those trying to come
into the country the right way. However, I will not support proposals that contain amnesty for illegal immigrants currently in our country. We cannot repeat past mistakes by rewarding unlawful behavior."
Source: 2014 Montana Senate campaign website, daines.house.gov
Jun 27, 2013
Steve Daines:
DACA unconstitutional, against resident status for DREAMers
Q: Create path to citizenship for "DACA" participants brought to the U.S. as children?Steve Daines: No. Voted against amendment authorizing permanent resident status for "DREAMers" in exchange for border security funding.
Called DACA "an unconstitutional act."
Steve Bullock: Yes. As governor, signed letter to congressional leaders urging that DACA participants be protected from deportation.
Source: CampusElect on 2020 Montana Senate race
Oct 10, 2020
Tim Fox:
Need for increased border security non-negotiable
With our weak southern border, drugs are pouring into Montana in record amounts, killing our citizens, destroying our families, overwhelming our justice system, and putting law enforcement at risk. The question is not whether or not illegal
immigration is a crisis. IT IS. There's no doubt about it: we need to secure our border now. I stand with President Trump in his efforts to protect Montanans. The need for increased border security is non-negotiable.
Source: 2020 Montana Governor campaign website FoxForGovernor.com
Dec 2, 2019
Tim Fox:
Migrant and security crises are linked
The migrant and security crises are linked. Mexican cartels and smugglers are as adept at trafficking people as they are meth. The more migrants flood our southern border,
the more resources law enforcement must redirect from screening and security. Smugglers now have a clear path to anywhere in the U.S., even Montana, after crossing the border.
Source: Helena Independent Record OpEd: 2020 Montana governor race
Jul 15, 2019
Greg Gianforte:
Secure our southern border now, stop neglecting it
With chemicals largely from China, Mexican drug cartels mass-produce fentanyl. Then, they bring it into our country, often over our southern border. This fentanyl crisis is a direct consequence of our nation's insecure and porous southern border.
So tonight, I have a message for President Biden and members of Congress: secure our southern border now. Stop neglecting it. Secure it. The safety of our communities, our families, and our people depends on it.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature
Jan 25, 2023
Tim Sheehy:
Finally put an end to illegal immigration once and for all
What's happening at the southern border is an absolute crisis, and it gets worse each day under the Biden administration and with career politicians like Jon Tester who talk a tough game about border security but aren't getting the job done. The
result of an open southern border is more crime and drugs flooding into our country and into our Montana communities. We need to take a strong stand and secure our border, finish the wall, and finally put an end to illegal immigration once and for all.
Source: 2024 Montana Senate campaign website TimForMT.com
Jun 27, 2023
Tanner Smith:
If Federal Government won't enforce immigration laws, I will
- August 27: Immigration, legal or illegal, continues to be a complex and sensitive topic. Strict illegal immigration policies are implemented by government to protect national security, maintain social order, and preserve economic stability.
While these policies aim to address legitimate concerns, I will serve to protect us from wrongful immigration policies. "If the Federal Government won't enforce immigration laws I will".
- August 11: Week 1 as Governor I'll declare a State of Emergency
with regards to our overcrowded County Jails. We then can clear out the jails and move these addicts, illegals and repeat criminal offenders to a separate facility where we can stack them deep. We can do this humanely, with dignity and continue the due
process system. Our local law enforcement men and women need help. This will help morale, aid in recruiting and minimize the wave of retirements from our valued seasoned professionals. Montana needs to be a law and order state again.
Source: Facebook posting on 2024 Montana Gubernatorial race
Nov 16, 2023
Jon Tester:
Tighten asylum laws; hire more border guards
Immigration: How to handle immigration and the border? Support a path to citizenship for "DACA" participants brought to the US as children?Jon Tester (D): Voted for 2023-2024 bipartisan
Senate border security bill to tighten asylum laws and hire more border guards. Said Biden's border policies had "failed." Supports DACA; "breaking a promise to these children... is not the solution."
Tim Sheehy (R): Called the 2024 bipartisan border security bill "political theater." Would axe the Department of
Homeland Security. "Secure our border, finish the wall, and... end... illegal immigration." No DACA position found.
Source: Guides.vote candidate survey on 2024 Montana Senate race
Sep 9, 2024
Tim Sheehy:
Secure our border; finish the wall
Immigration: How to handle immigration and the border? Support a path to citizenship for "DACA" participants brought to the US as children?Tim Sheehy (R): Called the 2024 bipartisan border security
bill "political theater." Would axe the Department of Homeland Security. "Secure our border, finish the wall, and... end... illegal immigration."
No DACA position found.
Jon Tester (D): Voted for 2023-2024 bipartisan Senate border security bill to tighten asylum laws and hire more border guards.
Said Biden's border policies had "failed." Supports DACA; "breaking a promise to these children... is not the solution."
Source: Guides.vote candidate survey on 2024 Montana Senate race
Sep 9, 2024
Ryan Busse:
Leave immigration as federal policy; not for governor
Immigration: How to handle immigration?- Ryan Busse (D): Unclear. Says immigration is matter of federal policy: "The governor of
Montana [can't] impact that federal law-making process directly."
- Greg Gianforte (R): With nine Republican governors, offered a 10-point plan for securing the border.
Said the state may need to step in if the federal government fails to enforce immigration laws. In 2024, directed Montana National Guard to help Texas with border security.
Source: Guides.vote survey on 2024 Montana Gubernatorial race
Oct 9, 2024
Ryan Busse:
Must have a secure border, but this is a federal issue
[On the southern border]: "I believe we must have a secure border," Busse said. "I think our immigration policy is broken. I don't think there's any doubt about that. But for this governor to send Montana citizens, to pull a stunt, and send
Montana citizens to the Texas border for a political stunt, no I'm not okay with that. This is a federal issue that needs to be taken care of by the federal government."
Source: NBC Montana on 2024 Montana Gubernatorial race
Sep 4, 2024
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026