Hispanic voters helped bring Trump to power - in Texas, the tide may be turning
A Catholic priest in Texas is actively resisting border wall construction and deportation efforts, highlighting the complex political landscape among Hispanic voters. The article explores the intersection of religious advocacy and immigration policy in a region experiencing shifting political allegiances.
Why it matters
The Rio Grande Valley is a critical battleground for US immigration policy and shifting voter demographics, which could influence future national elections.
Image caption, Father Roy Snipes is known locally as the Cowboy Priest - he resisted plans to seize chapel land to build Trump's border wall
It was just before dawn in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and the congregation were arriving for the Friday service at the tiny La Lomita Catholic Chapel.
The whitewashed building, which has been here since the days of the American Civil War, rises from the surrounding scrub and sits about 200 yards from the Rio Grande river itself.
As cars pulled up to the chapel, the sound of Father Roy Snipes' barking dogs signalled his arrival. He has been the priest here for almost half a century - and is known locally as the Cowboy Priest.
"I'm not sure why I picked that up, but it's nice," he said of the nickname.
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