Federal judge orders release of man unlawfully detained by CBP in Montana
Jul 30, 2026 · Lewistown, MT

Jesus Verde Hernandez, a Worden man who has lived in Montana for 10 years with his partner of 14 years and three young children, was arrested on July 30 by Customs and Border Patrol without a warrant or probable cause while agents searched for another man they said resembled him. He was transported between Lewistown, Jordan, Malta, Havre, and Great Falls over 30 hours and held in the Cascade County Detention Center. Federal authorities attempted to coerce him into self-deporting himself. Chief District Judge Brian Morris ordered his release, finding the detention violated his constitutional rights and that the government had no statutory authority to detain him. The judge rejected the government's argument that Hernandez must exhaust administrative remedies, saying the process was "deficient from the outset." His attorneys at Upper Seven Law are seeking class certification, identifying 17 people similarly unlawfully detained in the same facility.
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