 On May 28, 1954, Montana was honored at a huge celebration at the Statler Hotel downtown.Montana was leading a contingent of politicians trying to repeal the McCarron Immigration Act of 1924 that restricted Italian immigrants among others.Toastmaster, attorney Michael Catalano (later to be elected as a Supreme Court Justice of the State of NY) had good words to say about Montana as did Albert S. Scialfo, head of the Italian-American Societies that sponsored the event.