Hundreds pack Froid fundraiser where help and donations were welcome — politics weren’t

About 300 people — 100 more than the population of Froid — packed into the Froid Community Center Saturday evening for a silent auction fundraiser supporting Roberto Orozco-Ramirez.

Orozco-Ramirez, a 42-year-old father of four and citizen of Mexico, surrendered to law enforcement on Jan. 25 after Border Patrol agents had been staged outside his home and business in Froid for several days. He was charged with illegal reentry, a felony, and has been in jail ever since. Orozco-Ramirez’s auto shop and his family’s main source of income, Orozco Diesel, has also been closed since the arrest. Lawyers told MTFP his chances of evading deportation look slim.

Orozco-Ramirez’s arrest has shaken the tiny, conservative town of Froid, and the Feb. 28 fundraiser event was the latest demonstration of neighbors showing their support. Organizers discouraged political discussion at the fundraiser, highlighting the complicated dynamics of immigration enforcement in one small Montana town.

At the Feb. 28 fundraiser, almost 100 people donated items — including gravel, hamburger meat, a cattle chute, tattoo appointment, photo session, and a 12-gauge shotgun, among other items — for auction. Wearing their Orozco Diesel shirts, members of the Froid/Medicine Lake boys’ basketball team served smoked beef, pulled pork, homemade beans and coleslaw. People traveled to the event from surrounding communities, like Plentywood and Bainville. And by the end of the night, organizers said, the community raised tens of thousands of dollars for Orozco-Ramirez’s family, though they did not disclose the final amount.

Taped to the community center walls and doors was a laminated piece of paper, reading: “Tonight is about helping our friends, and community members through this difficult time. There will be plenty of opportunities [to] talk politics at a later date. Thank you everyone for your kindness and generosity this evening. #OrozcoStrong”

Organizer Keith Nordlund said keeping politics out of the event was crucial to its success. He made clear that the money raised on Feb. 28 would support Orozco-Ramirez’s wife and four sons — not his legal defense. That distinction, he said, drew more people to the fundraiser, including some Froid residents who’d otherwise been silent about the politics surrounding Orozco-Ramirez’s case.

“There are some people in our community — and everyone has their own opinions — that don’t agree with Roberto’s illegal status,” Nordlund told MTFP on Monday. “And they would not have come or contributed, had that night been about supporting his legal fund.”

Organizers invited federal, state and local lawmakers to the fundraiser, offering “to show you our community and introduce you to neighbors who have known Roberto for nearly a decade.”

“Your presence would mean a great deal to our community and would offer a meaningful opportunity to hear directly from those whose lives have been affected by Roberto’s absence,” the invite letter reads.

Organizers said they didn’t receive replies from Republican Sens. Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines, Reps. Troy Downing — whose district includes Froid — and Ryan Zinke or Gov. Greg Gianforte.

Asked why Downing didn’t attend the event, a spokesperson said, “Congressman Downing and his staff are aware of the charges against Mr. Orozco-Ramirez and welcome continued input from the community regarding the matter. The office reserves further comment so as not to obstruct due process or ongoing legal proceedings.”

“Two or three years ago, Gianforte swung through town, got some photo ops, swung through the little grocery store and this and that, but he was wanting votes,” Nordlund told MTFP Monday. “Now, you won’t come back and hear from the people that voted for you. Personally, I’m upset about that. … You asked for help, now we’re asking for help.”

State lawmakers, including Sen. Cora Neumann and Rep. Joshua Seckinger from Bozeman, Reps. James Reavis and Denise Joy from Billings, Rep. Melody Cunningham from Missoula, Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy from Box Elder and Rep. Frank Smith from Poplar — all Democrats — attended the event in Froid.

Nordlund said he told lawmakers that he didn’t want them campaigning at the fundraiser.

“Our county votes red,” he said. “A good portion of our town votes red. I’m seeing some people online comment, ‘Well, they should’ve voted Democrat. They should have done this.’ That night was not about Roberto’s immigration status. That night was not about, ‘Hey, if you vote for me, I’ll fix it.’ That night was about, we want to put food in front of these kids, keep the lights on, keep the bills paid so that they can continue to live as they go through this.”

Neumann recently traveled to Minnesota with other state lawmakers to speak with residents there about immigration enforcement. She said she understood the reticence to talk politics in Froid.

“If something hits this close to home for people, their first priority is taking care of their community,” she told me. “Once they get through that tragedy, trauma and challenge, then maybe the next step would be to address the source. But the idea is, let’s get through this as a community first.”

Neumann said the exclusion of political discussion made the event “special.”

“What they’re doing is setting politics aside and taking care of the community,” she said. “If politics was brought into this, they may not have been able to help each other. It really is a reminder of how deadly divisive politics could be.”

This story, originally published by Montana Free Press, was produced in collaboration with multimedia journalist Matt Standal at Montana PBS.