By a 4-1 vote, the Commission supported preventing the Helena Police Department from working with ICE.

Public Record — L-R: Commissioners Melinda Reed and Benjamin Rigby, Mayor Emily Dean, Commissioners Julia Gustafson and Sean Logan.

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On the night of January 26, 2026, the Helena City Commission voted 4-1 to adopt a resolution stating that the Helena Police Department would not assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers if they operated in the City of Helena. Key pages of the resolution are posted below.

It states Helena stands for the dignity of immigrant communities, but doesn’t specify whether that includes those who violated the law to get into the country.
It next states that a goal of the commission is to protect its citizens, though enforcing illegal immigration laws is one way to protect the actual legal citizens of the United States residing in Helena.

Page 2 includes a statement that summarizes that the Commission supports the Helena Police Department’s desire to avoid enforcing the laws of the United States when it comes to illegal immigrant criminals.
It also mentions a 287(g) agreement. This type of agreement allows DHS/ICE to train and deputize local officers to perform specific immigration duties. Under this agreement, trained officers may:
- Question individuals about immigration status.
- Issue immigration detainers.
- Serve ICE administrative warrants.
- Initiate removal proceedings for individuals arrested on criminal charges.
- Access federal immigration databases.
The final highlight shows language that says if a person employed by the City of Helena determines that a person is in the United States illegally, they will not disclose that information, “except as required by law.” Essentially saying, we will follow the law for reporting, but not worry about the law when it comes to criminal illegal aliens.

Page 3 includes more about not sharing confidential information about a person. Such as social security numbers and tax identification numbers. (It’s worth examining how a person gains either of those numbers.) The commission includes support for asking DHS Officers to unmask, which tends to lead to the officers and their families being doxed and put at much greater risk from the violent left radicals. Finally, they support avoiding adverse immigration consequences during any prosecutions “in the interests of justice.”

You can locate City Commission agendas and minutes HERE.

Of interest, Commissioner Reed is a Director at the International Secretariat for the Coalition for the International Criminal Court and is from New York City. The coalition is known for helping place Somalis in Minneapolis, among other social justice-type activities. Among its stated focus areas is the preservation of “the rule of law.” The United States is not part of the International Criminal Court.