Torres v. Slaughter

(Filed: Jul. 1, 2026)

On Monday, June 29, 2026, masked ICE agents arrested David Cortes-Torres as part of a dragnet operation targeting Latinos in the Bozeman area. David is 20 years old and the primary caregiver for his grandmother, who lives locally and is undergoing cancer treatment.

After arresting David, ICE transported him to Helena, where he was detained for over 24 hours in a 200 square foot room at the Helena airport with 17 other people, no bedding, and no access to counsel. ICE agents repeatedly attempted to coerce David to sign a self-deportation agreement, which he refused to do. ICE agents handcuffed, waist-shackled, and foot-shackled David while transporting him to Great Falls, where he remained in custody at the Cascade County Detention Facility for six days. 

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits arbitrary detention of citizens and non-citizens alike. It reads: “No person shall be... deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.”

On July 1, 2026, Upper Seven Law filed a federal habeas petition asking the District of Montana to hold a show cause hearing. After the show cause on July 7, 2026, a federal district court judge in Montana ordered the release of David Cortes-Torres.