Montana Town Rallies After Immigration Arrest Sparks Outcry

In the quiet town of Froid, Montana, a population barely cresting 200, the arrest of a beloved business owner has sent shockwaves through the community. Roberto Orozco-Ramirez, 42, a father of four, youth sports coach, and the proprietor of Orozco Diesel, was taken into custody by U.S. Border Patrol agents on Sunday night, January 25, 2026. The charge: illegal re-entry into the United States and threatening a federal officer. But for many in Froid, this is more than a case of immigration law—it’s a deeply personal blow to the fabric of their town.

"I understand border patrol has a job to do, but this isn't somebody you don't know. This isn't somebody that was on the FBI's most wanted list," said Keith Nordlund, a local resident whose child attends school with Orozco’s. According to ABC Fox Montana, Orozco’s arrest followed days of reported surveillance by federal agents. Neighbors described how the family was watched so closely that Orozco’s children stopped attending school out of fear, with Nordlund noting, "It got so bad the past week, I think it was Tuesday, the kids quit going to school because they were being followed and harassed by Border Patrol that much."

Orozco, who has lived in Froid for over a decade, is credited with building his trucking and repair business from the ground up—literally. "Built a thriving business. He and his boys built it from the ground up, physically built the building from the ground up," said Marvin Qualley, the school bus driver. Orozco Diesel has been a lifeline, keeping the town’s school buses and farm equipment running, and Orozco himself has coached youth sports and become a fixture in community life.

The charges against Orozco are serious. Federal court documents allege that he was previously removed from the United States in 2009 and re-entered illegally. He also faces accusations of threatening a federal officer after allegedly throwing a piece of lumber at an agent’s vehicle when Border Patrol intelligence agents approached him at his business on January 16, 2026. The documents further claim that Orozco was previously identified as a member of the Sureños gang in Utah, though they acknowledge he has no criminal history in Montana or elsewhere.

Despite these allegations, Orozco’s neighbors and local law enforcement paint a different picture. Roosevelt County Sheriff Jason Frederick, who mediated between federal agents and Orozco’s attorney, emphasized in a press release that Orozco and his family "have been productive members of the community and have had no negative interactions with local law enforcement since they moved here over a decade ago. The man posed no danger to the community at any point during this incident." Orozco surrendered peacefully and is currently held at Roosevelt County jail, awaiting transfer to a federal facility. The Border Patrol operation was conducted independently of local authorities and did not involve U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The arrest has galvanized the town. Residents have started raising money for Orozco’s legal fees, and high school athletes have shown solidarity by writing "Orozco" on their wrists during games. "Our little community, we all stand behind Roberto," Nordlund told ABC Fox Montana. "We want him to become legal, but we want him back in our community." For many, the incident has prompted difficult conversations at home. "I've had to have some tough talks with my own children. My boy at 15, soon to be 16, I think was naïve to the fact that people might be here illegally, and now to watch his best friend's dad be hunted like some sort of a predator and watch his friends be chased down and treated like that," Nordlund reflected. "It's hard to explain that to young kids."

Alex Rate, deputy director and legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, said Orozco’s arrest reflects a broader pattern of increasingly aggressive immigration enforcement in the state and the country. "We're seeing our friends and neighbors, children, detained and deported, and that's fundamentally un-American," Rate said. "We are definitely in uncharted territory today." He warned that if such crackdowns become more common, civil liberties violations could increase. "Whether you are in Montana or Minneapolis or Florida, everyone should be gravely concerned that constitutional rights are being thrown out the window by federal immigration officials."

This incident in Montana is not an isolated one. Across the country, immigration enforcement has become increasingly visible and, at times, violent. Just a day after Orozco’s arrest, in Arivaca, Arizona, Patrick Gary Schlegel, 34, was shot and wounded by a Border Patrol agent after allegedly firing at a Customs and Border Protection helicopter during a foot chase. According to NBC News, Schlegel, who has a criminal history of human smuggling and had escaped custody in December 2025, was being pursued as part of an “active alien smuggling matter.” He was charged with assault on a federal officer, transportation of an illegal alien, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The Pima County Sheriff's Department, the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility, and the FBI are all investigating the use of force in the case.

These high-profile incidents come on the heels of fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier in January 2026. The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good at the hands of Border Patrol and ICE officers have triggered protests and sharp criticism of the Department of Homeland Security. House Democratic leaders have accused the Trump administration of using taxpayer dollars "to kill American citizens" and have threatened impeachment proceedings against Secretary Kristi Noem if she is not removed. President Donald Trump, however, has stood by Noem, stating simply, "No," when asked if she would step down.

According to NBC News, federal immigration officers have shot 12 people since September as DHS has ramped up deportation operations nationwide. The political and social fallout has been significant, with communities like Froid left to grapple with the human cost of aggressive enforcement. Marvin Qualley, reflecting the sentiments of many in Froid, said, "You read about this sort of thing happening in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, all over. Whoever dreamed it would happen in Northeast Montana to the hardest working man I've ever known? It's just really hard to see the family get broke up."

Back in Froid, the focus now is on supporting the Orozco family and seeking a way forward. "We now know he was here illegally, but we want to do what we can to get in here legally, and we're asking for help, whether it be from our local representatives, our local senators, any politicians, people that know something, to help guide us through this and help us," Nordlund said. "We judge people based on their character, not on the color of their skin."

As Orozco awaits the next steps in federal custody, the people of Froid are left to reckon with the aftermath—frustrated and fearful, but also more united than ever, determined to stand by a man they consider one of their own.