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Bill would let troopers check and report immigration status on lawful stops
Summary
House Bill 278 would authorize peace officers to inquire about immigration status during lawful stops when they have reasonable suspicion, and to report confirmed unlawful presence to federal immigration authorities; the highway patrol and Department of Justice supported the change while civil-liberties advocates raised profiling concerns.
House Bill 278 would authorize peace officers, including Montana Highway Patrol troopers, to inquire about and report a person’s immigration status during a lawful stop when the officer has reasonable suspicion someone is not lawfully present. The bill’s sponsor, Representative Nellie Nickell, said the measure formalizes a practice troopers already use and responds to uncertainty created by a 10-year-old court ruling that limited such checks.
Alex Strahan,…
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