From his small office in Roma, Texas, Mayor Jaime Escobar Jr. often looked out his window to see migrants running across the historic downtown plaza after crossing the Rio Grande. Families would climb the steep embankment using a staircase at the river’s edge, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers often waited. Many would surrender to begin the asylum process.
“It wouldn’t necessarily happen every single day … I’d come to see it a few times a week at least,” Escobar said, describing the steady increase he noticed during the Biden administration. He blames what he calls a “broken immigration system,” adding, “We’re families of immigrants and proud of that, but we also believe we have to have law and order. There wasn’t very much accountability … we did have open borders.”
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Escobar says things have changed dramatically. “It’s night and day, it really is,” he said.
Escobar, a self-described split voter who backed Trump for president while supporting Democrats locally, remains satisfied with his choice. He is one of several Starr County residents who continue to stand by Trump a year after his election victory.
Starr County, a small border community where more than 90 percent of residents are Hispanic, had voted Democratic for over a century before Trump flipped it in 2024. His promises to reform immigration and reduce living costs struck a chord in an area long plagued by poverty and limited job opportunities. The median household income here hovers around $38,000.
New CBP data shows that border apprehensions have fallen to a 55-year low, averaging 279 people per day compared with more than 5,000 under the previous administration. Locals say drug trafficking activity has also declined. “They used to crash their trucks into properties. I was scared for my grandchildren,” said Jorge Bezan, a Democrat who nonetheless voted for Trump. “Now, it’s stopped completely.”
Others see a darker side to the president’s policies. Retired teacher Mindy Garza said she worries about how Immigration and Customs Enforcement treats Hispanic residents. “They’re being attacked just because they look a certain way,” she said.
At a local café and barbecue gathering, opinions remained deeply divided. Some praised Trump’s economic record, while others said inflation and high grocery prices still make life difficult.
For Mayor Escobar, the picture is mixed. “Locally we’ve seen some positive effects, but not to the extent we’d hoped for by now,” he said. A year into Trump’s second term, Starr County remains a snapshot of a nation split over immigration, the economy, and faith in political promises.
