AG Knudsen Invokes Supervisory Control Over Gallatin County

On April 30, 2026, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen invoked supervisory control over Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. According to Knudsen, she failed to follow the law and issue a memorandum clarifying that Gallatin County may share confidential criminal justice information (CCJI) with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for civil immigration enforcement functions. 

On April 2, 2026, Knudsen sent a letter to Cromwell demanding she rescind her unlawful policy refusing to recognize ICE as a “criminal justice agency” and share CCJI with them. Knudsen said Cromwell had until four days to rescind the policy or he would take immediate action to ensure state law is followed. 

“In Montana, we support our law enforcement officers and federal agents, like ICE officers, are no exception,” Knudsen said. “County Attorney Cromwell’s policy is a flagrant violation of state and federal law and puts the safety of Gallatin County residents at risk just to make apolitical statement. ICE is very clearly a criminal justice agency that needs access to confidential criminal justice information and keep Montanans safe. Ms. Cromwell does not have the authority to obstruct the cooperation between local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies. If she doesn’t rescind the policy immediately, I’m prepared to act.” 

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Knudsen said Cromwell has since doubled down on her policy by refusing to do so. 

“The cognitive dissonance in your reply is astounding,” Knudsen wrote. “You have now sworn under oath that there is no policy regarding sharing CCJI with ICE. Yet you also maintain that, under your novel interpretation of Montana law, Gallatin County will not share CCJI with ICE for civil immigration enforcement purposes without a court order.  Both things cannot be true.” 

Knudsen is exercising limited supervisory control over Cromwell’s office, directing her to: 

• Share confidential criminal justice information with ICE for all lawful purposes, including civil administration immigration matters. 
• Produce all documents, records, and communications related to the matter and specified in Attorney General Knudsen’s April 30 letter. 

Read More: Montana Attorney General Challenges Local Immigration Policy

Knudsen said Cromwell has 30 days to produce the records.