MTFP streamed live on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 6 p.m. MT as part of our celebration of the first-ever Local News Day, a national day focused on local news created by Montana Free Press founder John S. Adams.
Featuring Montana Free Press Executive Director John S. Adams in conversation with reporter Nora Mabie, reporter JoVonne Wagner, Editor-in-Chief Heather Tal Murphy and Report for America/Catchlight Local Photojournalist Lauren Miller for a live, behind-the-scenes look at how the team has been approaching coverage of immigration policy.
A recording of this livestreamed event can be found below:
About this live event: On Jan. 25, Border Patrol arrested Roberto Orozco-Ramirez, who owns an auto shop in the tiny Montana town of Froid. Much to the 195 residents’ surprise, the beloved Little League coach was not in the United States legally. Though most residents voted for President Trump and the community skews conservative, they have since rallied around their neighbor, driving many hours to his court hearings, holding fundraisers to support his four boys, and wearing jerseys with his name to sports games. The arrest has forced many members of the town to grapple with their existing views on immigration policy.
Montana Free Press also generated so much interest in reporter Nora Mabie’s initial story, from readers and other news outlets, that Montana Free Press launched a pop-up newsletter to continue following along. Along the way, Nora has also teamed up with Helena reporter JoVonne Wagner to report on the state capitol’s battle with the attorney general and governor over whether it could set its own rules around immigration enforcement and how that was affecting other cities.
They’ll discuss the reporting and editing decisions they made along the way, where the Orozco-Ramirez case is headed, the results of a dramatic city council meeting in Helena this week and their significance to communities across Montana.