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Public commenters press Helena officials for transparency on arrest, urge no cooperation with ICE and protest monument changes
Summary
During public comment at the July 16 Helena City Commission administrative meeting, several speakers raised civil-rights and law-enforcement concerns and asked the commission to review local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
During public comment at the July 16 Helena City Commission administrative meeting, several speakers raised civil-rights and law-enforcement concerns and asked the commission to review local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
Jessica Saxon, a self-described civil-rights advocate and litigator from Washington, D.C., framed her remarks around the U.S. Constitution, citing the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments and asserting that Montana law permitting charges by information rather than indictment is unconstitutional. Saxon said she was providing public notice in accordance with federal rules and noted litigation is underway on related issues.
Tammy Doughty, who described herself as a civil-rights litigator working with Saxon, said the group has been traveling nationally to provide notices and indicated they intend to bring constitutional challenges on behalf of people they say are incarcerated unlawfully. Doughty referenced the U.S. Supreme Court decision Hurtado v. California (1884) during her remarks.
Resident Shani Henry spoke about the arrest of Christopher Martinez and said video of the apprehension raised concerns that federal officers she interpreted as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cooperated with Helena Police Department officers. Henry said the arrest had “destroyed” a family and urged the city to refuse to cooperate with ICE, to provide full transparency about the incident and to review officer conduct and training.
Kevin Hammond urged the commission to take a public stand after he said members of the LGBTQI community had been erased from the Stonewall Monument and urged the city to oppose erasure and to stand with marginalized groups.
No city official responded with new information during the public comment period recorded in the administrative meeting transcript. City staff later said there was no public comment online at one point, and the meeting moved on to other business. The speakers requested city review, transparency and, for some, a refusal to cooperate with ICE.
Ending: The concerns raised during public comment prompted requests for transparency and policy review; the commission did not take formal action on these items during the administrative meeting.
