Montana group sues over law allowing police to check immigration status during unrelated stop
October 2, 2025
A Montana immigration advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against the state over a law that allows law enforcement to check the immigration status of individuals during routine stops, like when someone is pulled over for a traffic violation. The law that took effect Wednesday allows officers to “make a reasonable attempt, upon reasonable suspicion … to determine the immigration status of an individual.” Valley Neighbors of the Flathead argues the law violates the state Constitution. While federal law allows officers to use “reasonable suspicion” to investigate potential crimes unrelated to the reason for the stop, Montana’s Constitution requires a higher standard of “particularized suspicion.”