Latest news with #Knudsen
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AG Knudsen blasts Gallatin County Attorney for advising against ICE contract
Gallatin County Courthouse in Bozeman. (Keila Szpaller/The Daily Montanan) A Gallatin County Commissioner described a scalding letter from the attorney general about a local legal opinion as 'political theater' and said Friday the county has had the longest-standing agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of any county in Montana. Wednesday, Attorney General Austin Knudsen sent a letter to the Gallatin County Commissioners criticizing a legal opinion — which Knudsen put inside quotations as 'legal opinion' — by Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell. The April 24 opinion from Cromwell argued against entering into an agreement with ICE to detain undocumented immigrants from across the state at the Gallatin County Detention Center. Cromwell said doing so would raise constitutional and legal questions and potentially cost taxpayers millions of dollars. The Trump administration has been aggressive in pursuing, and in some cases deporting, immigrants nationwide, including in Montana, as the president pledged to do in his campaign. In March, MTN News reported that ICE detained 17 immigrants it described as undocumented in Bigfork. In some cases, judges have found authorities under Trump acted without due process and deported people illegally, including legal immigrants and even U.S. citizens. A New York Times analysis said illegal deportations are difficult to undo. But immigration is a political hot button, and in his criticism of the Gallatin prosecutor, Knudsen said the American people sent Donald Trump back to the White House 'to secure our border,' and Montanans want state officials to support his agenda, 'not undermine it.' 'At its core, the Cromwell Opinion is an endorsement of the disastrous open border policies of the Biden administration,' Knudsen said in his letter. In a 2024 report, the Pew Research Center said unauthorized immigrants hit a 12.2 million peak in 2007 and, after a downward trend, crept up again in recent years to 11.1 million in 2022, and likely higher since then. 'My office fought back against these destructive policies for four long years, and I refuse to stand by as feckless left-wing prosecutors attempt to subvert the will of the people and put dangerous criminals back on the streets,' Knudsen wrote. In response, Cromwell said in a statement that Gallatin County already participates in a program, known as the federal 287(g) program, that ensures 'undocumented individuals charged with a crime in Gallatin County are immediately flagged and held for ICE.' The 287(g) program authorizes local law enforcement officials to perform specific immigration duties under the agency's oversight. 'Given constitutional concerns regarding due process, significant legal liability, and added strain on overburdened County resources, I stand by my legal opinion, which advises the Commission against entering into an additional agreement with ICE to detain non-local undocumented immigrants in the Gallatin County Detention Center,' Cromwell said. Her legal opinion said earlier this year, a court found Suffolk County in New York responsible for $60 million in a class action lawsuit that found unconstitutional detention practices of undocumented immigrants. The county is appealing the decision, according to a local news report. Gallatin County Commissioners said they already cooperate with ICE on immigration and will 'continue to work closely with the Gallatin County Attorney, who was elected by our community.' 'And we will continue supporting the Sheriff and his dedicated team of public safety heroes,' Commissioners said in a statement. In an interview Friday, Gallatin County Commissioner Zach Brown said under the existing agreement, Gallatin County already temporarily holds detainees for ICE to pick up when an immigration flag comes up during booking. 'That's a legal framework that is in place and has been in place for a long time,' Brown said. Cromwell's opinion said 1.4% of the county jail population has been flagged for ICE holds over the last year. Brown also said he wanted to cut through some of the rhetoric around immigration. For one, Brown said the president and the attorney general are conflating civil and criminal law — and doing so 'intentionally.' In other words, he said, local government and county law enforcement handle criminal offenses, but federal civil procedures govern people whose immigration status is questioned. County facilities and services aren't designed, funded or empowered to execute federal civil procedures, he said. Rhetoric, including from President Trump, implies that every illegal person is a criminal, he said, but that's not necessarily true. 'If someone has an immigration issue, that does not make them inherently a criminal under American federal law,' Brown said. However, he also said Gallatin County has made 'record investments' in public safety, including in salaries, new positions, and equipment, and resources for the drug task force, courts, 'and on and on.' 'That trajectory and commitment to law enforcement is really strong with this commission and within this community,' Brown said. In February, MTN News reported ICE agents arrested six alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in Gallatin County. At the time, Sheriff Dan Springer told MTN News law enforcement had been working to combat the gang and had been successful given no violent incidents had been reported. Springer could not be reached by voicemail Friday for an update. Cromwell's opinion said those people were held solely on ICE detainers and not on criminal charges, and the situation demonstrates the risk that counties may inadvertently hold people without due process. Brown also pointed to statistics that show Gallatin County has the second lowest crime rate among urban counties in Montana, only behind Flathead County. Citing the Montana Board of Crime Control, he said Gallatin had 540 incidents per 10,000 in 2023, the most recent data available, compared to 1,100 per 10,000 in Cascade County, reporting the highest number per capita. Info Box Reported Crime incidents per 10,000 in 2023 (urban counties), according to the Montana Board of Crime Control: Cascade County – 1,100 Yellowstone County – 887 Missoula County – 865 Butte-Silverbow – 640 Lewis & Clark County – 632 Ravalli County – 565 Gallatin County – 540 Flathead County – 487 Source: Gallatin County Commissioner, citing Montana Board of Crime Control Dashboard. Brown also said that at its root, immigration is squarely a federal issue, and an argument about a county contract, 'a minor, minor issue,' is a distraction from the fact that Congress hasn't taken action on immigration reform since 1986. 'It's infuriating that these issues are getting talked about at the local government level. Just that, in and of itself, is political theater,' Brown said. He said local government is at the behest of the federal government when it comes to immigration, it's experienced whiplash upon changes in administration, and it will continue without action. 'Congress is allowing the executive branch to make policy on immigration law, and that's not the executive's job under the constitution and our form of government,' Brown said. He called on Montana's congressional delegation to legislate, and he said the dispute over the additional agreement between ICE and Gallatin County is just a symptom of the disease. 'The cancer in the system is Congress' inaction. So Congress needs to get off their butt and do their job,' Brown said. U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy are from Bozeman in Gallatin County and could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday. However, in remarks three weeks ago and posted on his Facebook page, Daines said presidential leadership matters. He said law enforcement officers in Bozeman told him they weren't getting any response from ICE under the Biden administration, and that changed right after Trump was sworn into office. 'Within 30 days, those ICE agents swarmed and got those TDA (Tren de Aragua) guys apprehended and deported from our country. That directly affects my hometown of Bozeman,' Daines said. In his letter, Knudsen, said the 'horrors aren't hypothetical.' In his letter, he said under the Biden administration, the state Crime Lab reported 262 fentanyl-linked deaths in Montana, and he said 100% of illicit fentanyl seized in Montana is trafficked across the border. 'In one Gallatin County operation conducted in March, three illegal immigrants were arrested on drug-related charges and methamphetamine, cocaine, cash and four vehicles were seized,' Knudsen said. He also said earlier this year, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area seized 9,400 carfentanil pills in Billings, just a couple of hours away from Gallatin County. He said carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, 'making it even more dangerous and deadly.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tuition increases proposed for all 3 state universities
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa college students are speaking out about a pending decision on proposed tuition increases at all three state universities. The University of Northern Iowa increase is proposed to be 2.7%, while there is a suggested increase of 3% for both Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. New main street project in Cumming aims to preserve small-town charm The increase will add $279 to the cost of tuition at the University of Iowa. Student body President Thomas Knudsen, a junior, says the annual increases are adding up. 'If this trend continues, it's the difference in pursuing a four-year degree or pursuing some sort of alternative option. Now, since I started as a freshman, the cost of attendance has steadily increased. Now, if this proposed increase is approved, it's around a $1,200 increase since my freshman year alone. A rise of close to 12 percent,' said Knudsen. The Iowa Board of Regents will vote on the proposed increase at its next meeting on June 10th. The Iowa State Legislature gave no funding increases to Iowa's state universities in this year's budget. Iowa veteran back on Appalachian Trail, surpasses 900 miles after battling Norovirus Tuition increases proposed for all 3 state universities Clean up underway in Perry after strong storm moves through Monday night New main street project in Cumming aims to preserve small-town charm Wright County landowners hopeful Gov. Reynolds will sign eminent domain legislation Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Local Norway
13-05-2025
- Business
- Local Norway
How the latest trade war developments have affected the Norwegian krone
The news of a 90-day tariff break between the world's two largest economies - the United States and China - briefly boosted the dollar, pushing it up about 10 øre against the krone by mid-morning on Monday. However, the euro's decline and the krone's simultaneous strengthening suggest that Norway's currency may be better positioned than headlines indicate, especially in the broader, long-term view. READ MORE: Analysts predict Norway's krone could make up lost ground on the euro and US dollar Short-term dollar strength, long-term doubts The dollar's initial bounce was largely psychological, according to currency strategist Nils Kristian Knudsen of Handelsbanken. "The dollar has been hit hard by trade tensions, so any form of clarification gives it some relief," Knudsen told the newspaper e24. "But this is not a done deal. The damage to the dollar's credibility is already done." Knudsen argued that the Trump administration has weakened foreign confidence in the dollar by using it as a policy lever in trade disputes , making long-term dollar strength unlikely. "The market has realized that the dollar can be used as a bargaining chip," he added. Advertisement Senior strategist Dane Cekov at Sparebank 1 Markets echoed the sentiment, noting that while some recovery in the dollar is expected, much of the upside has already been priced in. Although we may see short-term gains, I still expect a weaker dollar over the long term, Cekov said. "Uncertainty is lower than before, but it's far from gone." READ ALSO: What are the US tariffs on Norway, and how could they affect you? Euro weakens, but not for long? The euro dipped against the dollar following the trade news, but analysts say the euro still holds ground. "I think the euro will continue to play a stronger role," Knudsen noted, citing consistent structural support from the eurozone and limited future upside for the dollar. This dynamic has worked in favour of the Norwegian krone, which strengthened against the euro during Monday trading. By late afternoon, one euro traded for 11.58 kroner – slightly lower than recent levels. Advertisement Good news for the krone Despite its dip against the dollar, the krone gained strength against a broader basket of currencies, especially in import-weighted indexes like I-44, which measure the krone's performance against Norway's key trading partners. Since the euro holds more weight than the dollar in this context, the krone's gain is seen as positive. It's more important for Norway that the krone strengthens against the euro than the dollar, Cekov said. "The trade truce reduces recession risks, oil prices are rising, and risk sentiment has improved - all favorable for the krone," he explained.
Straits Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Regional chapter of WEF initiative launched to support ocean impact start-ups in Asia-Pacific
The aim of the coalition is to support at least 1,000 impactful ocean-focused start-ups by 2030. PHOTO: AFP SINGAPORE – An ocean of business opportunities lies in the biodiversity-rich waters of the Asia-Pacific , and a regional coalition was launched in Singapore on May 8 to help start-ups in the region scale up their ideas. These start-ups have ideas or business models that are profitable or have the potential to generate profit while also contributing to ocean health. Examples include seaweed farming to reduce nutrient pollution , offshore wind power generation and coral restoration initiatives. The 1,000 Ocean Startups coalition APAC, as the grouping is known, is the regional chapter of a World Economic Forum initiative first launched in 2021. The group comprises entrepreneur-supporting organisations that provide ocean impact start-ups with the resources to scale up. This includes investment, acceleration and mentorship programmes , networks and visibility . The aim of the coalition is to support at least 1,000 impactful ocean-focused start-ups by 2030. So far, more than 350 start-ups have received support from it. According to its website, the coalition has about 52 members, including investment companies, family offices, philanthropic organisations and firms that run accelerator programmes. Of these, only about six are headquartered in the Asia-Pacific , said Mr Thomas Knudsen, a principal of Singapore-based family office Rumah Group. Rumah Group is one of three members based in Singapore. The other two are Mana Impact Partners and Potato Impact Partners, according to the coalition's website. Speaking to The Straits Times at the launch event held at The Foundry, Mr Knudsen said bringing the community together in the regional chapter could help showcase real efforts being taken to address the pressing issues facing the ocean. 'I think there are many who struggle with these big problems about climate change, biodiversity, and it's easy to lose track of the fact that there are things people can do today,' he said. 'You can grow seaweed in the Philippines. You can sell it. You can help the local communities. It might be energy. It might be shipping, where you reduce the emissions from ships. It's a business. It works.' A key aim of having a regional chapter is to increase this number, said Mr Nick Chiarelli, a steering committee member of the 1,000 Ocean Startups coalition. 'One of the other challenges with South-east Asia and the Pacific, in particular, is that some of the solutions that we're looking at are more grassroots and small-scale projects, whether fisheries or conservation,' he said. 'Some of these things can be scaled with the right support, but it will take time.' A healthy ocean is one of humanity's greatest defences against climate change. The UN has said that the ocean generates 50 per cent of the oxygen we need, absorbs 25 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions and captures 90 per cent of the excess heat generated by these emissions. But it is facing a multitude of threats, from overfishing to plastic pollution and marine heatwaves, which have cascading impacts on marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp beds. Mr Chiarelli told The Straits Times that a regional chapter can help to create a support network to uplift start-ups looking to make a difference in the waters of the Asia-Pacific. He noted that the coalition's different members have different funding priorities, such as those who choose to focus on food security, or others who have geographical focus areas. Mr Chiarelli, the co-founder and chief executive of the Ocean Impact Organisation, added: 'So if a start-up approaches a member with an idea that is not within their focus area, we can refer them to a member within the group,' he said. 'Within the region, there are also different countries, with different industry and sector strengths,' Mr Chiarelli said. Singapore is a maritime powerhouse, he noted, while Australia has an established track record with fisheries. 'We want to see us exporting that know-how, so that fisheries and aquaculture practices can be improved around the world. There are so many reasons to collaborate,' he added. Asked to comment on the launch of the new coalition, Associate Professor Peter Todd, the director of the NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute, said: 'I think it's fantastic that there is this level of interest, and there is this appetite for investing in solutions. But he said it was important that the solutions being piloted are science-based, well-tested and proven to work. 'I'd like to see strong evidence of that in any of the solutions which are being invested in, not just because we want to make sure they work but also because we don't want to have failures that could negatively impact the marine ecosystem,' Prof Todd added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bills originally aimed at protecting Montana Attorney General failed
The Montana state capitol pictured after a late-night Senate vote on Jan. 9, 2025. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan) Two bills originally designed to protect Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen from losing office if he's suspended for disciplinary conduct failed to pass the Legislature, one in the House and one in the Senate. Knudsen is facing discipline for statements he and lawyers under his supervision made that disparaged the court and for defying a court order in a legal standoff in 2021. House Bill 856 and Senate Bill 49, in its initial draft, offered different ways to shield the attorney general from a proposed punishment some viewed as unfair. Lawyers since have indicated the attorney general may not need protection, but a decision on discipline is pending with the Montana Supreme Court, and Republicans in the Montana Legislature have been critical of the judicial branch. Sen. Wendy McKamey, R-Great Falls, carried one of the bills, HB 856, in the Senate, and she said Friday she was disappointed fellow Republican senators didn't lend enough support for it. 'They did not use the tools at their disposal to protect their Republican attorney general,' McKamey said. McKamey also said she suspected some of the opposition might have been payback from Republican leadership in the Senate — an allegation the president and majority leader disputed. Republicans in the Senate were split this session, and McKamey is among a group who has at times bucked leadership. 'It certainly appears to be some sort of retribution,' McKamey said. One day earlier, Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, said he had opposed the bill because he felt uncertain about its impact, and Friday, he responded to the allegation of possible retribution. 'That's absolutely false. Sen. McKamey has no influence on my vote either way,' Regier said. In 2023, the Office for Disciplinary conduct alleged Knudsen broke rules of professional conduct for lawyers in connection with the standoff. The office oversees discipline against members of the bar. The Montana Supreme Court is considering a unanimous recommendation from the Commission on Practice that Knudsen be suspended for 90 days for multiple violations of rules. HB 856 and SB 49 presented different methods to protect the attorney general from disciplinary consequences. HB 856 would have ensured Knudsen wouldn't be at risk of losing office if he faces the full recommended suspension of 90 days. Montana law states that an office becomes vacant if an incumbent generally fails to discharge their duties for three consecutive months, and HB 856 would have extended the period to four months. In committee, sponsor and Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, said he thought the idea that Knudsen could get thrown out of office if he ended up suspended for 90 days was unfair, so he proposed HB 856. Fitzpatrick said the people of Montana had just elected Knudsen, and he had won by a large margin. Knudsen, a Republican incumbent, took 60% of the vote in November 2024. 'It didn't seem right to me that a disciplinary official would be able to basically override the will of the people,' Fitzpatrick said. Since then, Fitzpatrick learned that even if the Supreme Court imposes a penalty of 90 days, it may not translate into a loss of office. At a hearing in March before the Montana Supreme Court, lawyers for Knudsen and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel agreed such a penalty doesn't mean he needs to lose his elected office. For example, the 90 days, if imposed, don't need to run consecutively, or they can be counted inside of a three-month period. Knudsen's team made other arguments as well, including that the Montana Constitution allows for the removal of a judge, but not an officer of another branch. In the legislative committee hearing, Fitzpatrick said he didn't know if the bill would have any impact on the attorney general's situation, but he viewed four months as more appropriate than three months regardless. The bill made it through the House, and the second to last week of the session, it passed a significant vote in the Senate, 28-22, without debate. However, three days later, it failed on a final 22-27 vote. Some Republicans who have been critical of the courts voted against it on second and third reading, and some changed their votes from yes to no. Thursday, Fitzpatrick described the result as 'confusing.' McKamey said Fitzpatrick asked her to carry the bill in the Senate, and she tried her best with it. She said the Knudsen family is clearly important to Republican leadership, and she described the lack of support for the bill as 'short sighted.' Austin Knudsen is the attorney general, and his mother, Rhonda Knudsen, is a former Republican legislator who served as an advisor to Regier during the session. Regier and Majority Leader Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, were among the senators who voted against it, both consistently, and Regier said he wasn't certain the bill was even relevant by the time it ended up on the floor. McGillvray said he didn't find it to be a significant bill, proposing a shift from three months to four, he found the speech McKamey made on the floor 'pretty weak,' and he cast his vote accordingly. 'I don't speak for how other people vote, but I don't do retribution,' McGillvray said. McGillvray also said if the Montana Supreme Court wanted to impose a penalty that sought to push Knudsen out of office with a suspension, it could simply extend the penalty to five months if the legislature changed the duration to four. On the floor, McKamey had said the bill initially came about because of news reports that said Knudsen might lose his office if he was suspended for 90 days, but she said supporters of the bill later learned that might not be the case, and the law might not apply. 'Nonetheless, four months is a more appropriate timeframe than three months and provides approximately 120 days before a person loses a job that they were elected to do,' McKamey said on the floor. Senate Bill 49 failed earlier in the House. Sponsored by Sen. Barry Usher, R-Billings, SB 49 would have granted immunity from discipline to lawyers who are also elected as Constitutional officers, such as the attorney general or governor. An original draft protected only the attorney general. A subsequent amendment, supported by Usher, moved the implementation date so it was not retroactive, a provision described as a 'get out of jail free card' for the AG. Usher was among the legislators who initially supported HB 856 in the Senate, but subsequently opposed it. He could not be reached for comment Friday.
