Under criticized state compliance, immigration investigations on the rise in Montana

· Bozeman Daily Chronicle · By Lewis Kendall · From the Border Crossing Law Firm media archive.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle investigates a sharp rise in ICE subpoenas for Montana unemployment and workers' compensation records. Shahid Haque argues that the state was disclosing confidential employee information without a court-issued warrant, sometimes after little more than an unverified complaint, exposing workers to deportation and businesses to costly investigations.

The reporting confirmed that a practice Shahid had challenged since 2012 was expanding under the Trump administration. His warning was deliberately broader than immigrant rights: unrestricted access to state employment databases could affect any Montana employer and its entire workforce.