Whitefish Settles Racial Profiling Lawsuit for $90,000
The City of Whitefish has reached a $90,000 settlement in a racial profiling lawsuit stemming from the April 2025 detention of Baker Rengifo del Castillo, a Venezuelan national residing in Kalispell.
Incident Details and Arrest
The case began on April 24, 2025, when former Whitefish police officer Michael Hingis stopped Rengifo del Castillo for a broken taillight. Hingis contacted the federal immigration agency’s dispatch center during the stop, stating, “I’m out with a guy who only speaks Spanish and I’m wondering if he wants me to get tested.” This initiated Rengifo del Castillo’s detention by U.S. Border Patrol agents operating in Whitefish.
Legal Action Initiated by the Plaintiff
Rengifo del Castillo was held in a federal immigration facility in Washington for a week before being released without any charges. In August 2025, he filed a federal lawsuit against Hingis, claiming unconstitutional seizure, false arrest, and violations of equal protection. The lawsuit argues that Hingis contacted immigration officials based only on Rengifo del Castillo’s ethnicity and language.
Evidence Presented in the Lawsuit
During the traffic stop, Rengifo del Castillo provided Hingis with a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, proof of auto insurance, and vehicle registration. However, according to the complaint, Hingis failed to return his driver’s license, leading to Rengifo del Castillo’s effective detention until Border Patrol agents arrived.
Context of Residency and Legal Status
Rengifo del Castillo relocated to the Flathead Valley in July 2024 under a two-year humanitarian parole program. Although the Trump administration attempted to terminate this program, a federal court order was in place at the time of his detention, preventing the loss of his legal status as a parolee.
Counts Against the City of Whitefish
The lawsuit included five separate counts against the City of Whitefish, including unconstitutional seizure, false arrest, negligence, and two counts of failure to train, specifically citing Police Chief Bridger Kelch for inadequate training related to Hingis’s actions during the traffic stop.
Settlement Agreement and Implications
On Tuesday, all charges were dismissed following the city’s agreement to the $90,000 settlement. According to Upper Seven Law, the nonprofit law firm representing both city officials and Rengifo del Castillo, the dismissal was with prejudice, preventing the possibility of resubmitting the case in the future. City Manager Dana Meeker noted that this settlement is considerably lower than the anticipated costs of continued litigation, and the payment will be covered by Whitefish’s insurance provider, the Montana City Area Agency.
“This should send a clear message to law enforcement agencies across Montana that untrained local police officers should not assume the role of Border Patrol agents,” stated Andres Halladay, senior staff attorney at Upper Seven Law. “Conducting immigration checks based on a person’s skin color or the language they speak is not only unconstitutional but also undermines community trust and wastes taxpayer resources.”
