Bullock’s refugee stance puts Montana at risk

In an Oct. 11 article concerning controversy about Syrian refugees, the Chronicle quoted Gov. Bullock’s spokesman saying, “The governor’s number one priority is the safety of Montanans.”  But he vetoed 2013’s HB 50, which would have prevented Montana cities from declaring themselves illegal-alien sanctuaries, so one would never guess that protecting Montanans from dangerous foreigners concerns Bullock.

Indeed, Helena and Butte are sanctuary cities: If their cops spot an illegal-alien gang-banger who’s back after deportation, they can’t detain him for the illegal-reentry felony and remand him to the feds. Instead, they must wait for the alien to commit a non-immigration crime before arresting him. There were flagrant cases nationwide of illegal aliens committing such “other crimes” well before 2015’s horrifying murder of Kate Steinle in San Francisco.

Cluelessly, Bullock’s veto message (April 5, 2013) claimed that “no jurisdiction in Montana has enacted such a policy.” Plus he missed the basic point that state actions to dissuade illegal aliens from targeting Montana are the best way to forestall illegal immigration from becoming a huge problem here, as in so many other states.

Face it, Montanans: Awareness and foresight aren’t qualities to associate with Gov. Bullock.