Opinion-Editorial
Last week, many of us in Livingston realized that a movie was being filmed on Second Street and elsewhere around town. At first, seeing the pawn shop and Korean market signs go up, I thought, “Wow, Livingston is really moving forward and diversifying.” Then came the graffiti wall, security guards, closed streets, armed men, and even scenes involving cars on fire.
From what has been reported, the movie involves the killing of a woman by an ICE agent, similar to the 2025 killing of Renee Goode in Minneapolis. The film is reportedly partially funded by political commentator Ben Shapiro and produced by Carter Boehm’s locally-based film company, Yellowstone Film Ranch. How the film ultimately portrays ICE, immigration enforcement, and the people affected by those policies remains to be seen.
For Livingston, the armed men, closed streets, and violence are just a part of a movie set. For other communities, similar images have been their reality. People have experienced immigration enforcement in their neighborhoods. They have witnessed their neighbors being detained and families disrupted and deported. Those are not movie scenes to them; they are lived experiences.
There have been 22 deaths involving ICE officers, 57 deaths in immigration custody to date, allegations of excessive force, concerns about detention conditions, and ongoing questions about due process. Here in Montana, 24 people unlawfully detained by immigration authorities at the Cascade County Detention Center were released recently following legal challenges.
Most people agree our immigration system needs reform, yet Congress has not acted on a comprehensive plan to address these issues. Instead, Congress has directed an additional $75 billion dollars for ICE to handle immigration enforcement without oversight or accountability.
The filmmakers have every right to produce the movie. But free speech also gives the community the right to question, criticize, and protest its message. When a film deals with real political issues and human suffering, it is reasonable and necessary to ask if the story will be presented honestly and responsibly.