Prohibit harboring or assisting illegal aliens

HB 896 aimed to expand Montana's obstructing justice laws by redefining who is considered "an offender." Under this bill, "an offender" would include individuals who have entered the United States unlawfully or have not complied with their immigration status conditions. Consequently, a person could be charged with obstructing justice for knowingly harboring, assisting, or preventing the discovery or apprehension of such individuals. The bill also included a $500 appropriation to the Department of Justice to notify local law enforcement agencies and county attorneys about these new requirements.