Increase in illegal immigration harming the Flathead Valley

Having lived in this community my entire life, I grew up watching many people move here from all parts of the world. We are fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world that has so much to offer.

I have watched many folks who legally came to the Flathead to work or visit take the steps required by law to gain legal citizenship. They worked hard, contributed to society and have become cornerstones of the great community we are privileged to be a part of. Oftentimes, one of  their greatest accomplishments and honors has been receiving their United States citizenship. In fact,  a handful of my deputies have accomplished this same goal, and I am honored to serve with them. 

Over the past two years, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in contacts with  individuals who have no residency status in the U.S. Handling calls for service involving undocumented individuals has presented my office with new challenges that do not yet have acceptable solutions. We are challenged with the inability to accurately identify people or their true legal status and are often unable to determine ownership of vehicles or the validity of driver’s licenses. 

With only a limited  number of deputies who speak Spanish, we are unable to accurately communicate with many of these individuals when called for service. These, among many other challenges, cause deputies to spend significantly more time handling calls for service and are often unable to obtain a disposition acceptable to our community. 

As a result of this increase in incidents, and with a desire to understand more than our local and state  laws, I reviewed the federal codes pertaining to illegal and/or undocumented entry into the U.S. A great number of these laws have been on the books for many years and are essential to maintaining the safety and security of our nation. 

Laws addressing legal and illegal entry into the country, along with the illegality of employing, harboring, or assisting illegal or undocumented immigrants, were all designed to protect the people who visit, work or live in our country. Our nation has standards in which people are required to be identifiable and legal within the country. 

I struggle with the question of how I, or my deputies, will effectively and efficiently investigate violations of state law when our abilities and resources depend on the implementation and enforcement of federal laws;  federal laws that are seemingly ignored over the past three years. 

Flathead County has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing communities in the country. In the Flathead, housing costs remain at or near record highs. My deputies, along with many other members of this community, struggle and in some cases are unable to find affordable housing. It is  especially difficult for me to watch the folks I grew up with in this community, as well as my deputies and civil support staff, struggling to find housing or make ends meet. 

As we encounter an increasing number of undocumented and illegal individuals who have moved to the Flathead under immigration statuses that are undocumented, illegal or just unknown, they deplete the limited housing, services and resources we have available. 

I am addressing this issue today because I believe you should be informed and aware that our community is suffering from the effects of the border crisis, the refusal of the federal government to effectively address immigration issues, and organizations that pay to move undocumented and illegal people to our community. 

Undocumented and illegal individuals are currently living in the Flathead, and many are working, often under the table, without contributing to the resources designed for those who work and live here legally. By working under the table, they are not paying into Social Security, workers’ compensation, state or federal income taxes. They are allowed to utilize resources like Medicare, food stamps, housing assistance and other resources designed to assist our legal citizens in our times of need. 

As the sheriff, a Montanan and lifelong member of this community, I truly believe in helping those that are in need. However, my priority is the people of the community that I was elected to protect. Financially, we do not have the ability to keep up with larger cities and states that have encouraged this undocumented lifestyle. We don’t have the budget to keep up with the needs that come along with serving the growing undocumented population. We don’t have the resources to hold them  accountable to the same laws and expectations our society has determined we live by. 

As the sheriff of Flathead County, I am committed to the safety and security of this community. I am committed to working with our local, state and federal partners to mitigate the effects of this crisis. I will communicate with state and federal lawmakers to find and implement long-term solutions. 

In the meantime, I am instructing my deputies to continue holding everyone they encounter to the same  standard of law regardless of their immigration status. 

I want you to know I am aware of the immigration problem and how it is affecting our community. I want you to know I am not satisfied with the status quo, and I am working toward solutions. 

Brian Heino is Flathead County Sheriff.