Joyce Boghosian / Wikimedia Commons
CV NEWS FEED // Steve Cortes’ latest documentary, examining the dramatic surge of Hispanic support for President Donald Trump, is quickly gaining momentum online with nearly 400,000 views on X.
The film spotlights Starr County, Texas – America’s most Hispanic county, with 97% Latino residents – where Trump made historic strides, flipping the historically Democratic stronghold in a 76-point swing in the 2024 election.
Cortes, who joined the CatholicVote team last month as senior political advisor, called the shift “one of the most consequential shifts in the history of US politics,” as Hispanic voters increasingly embrace “patriotic populism.”
The documentary features Mayra Flores, former US Representative in Texas, along with retired Border Patrol agents and local residents who say concerns over border security, economic struggles, and conservative social values led them to embrace the Republican Party.
“The Republican Party started investing in the Hispanic community,” Flores said. “Hispanics didn’t change. They’ve always been conservative. Our values have always aligned more with the Republican party. They just didn’t know,” she continued.
Meanwhile, Flores said, “The liberal media is just disconnected. They’re not down here talking to the people. They’re not paying attention to us.”
Located just about 150 miles from the US-Mexico border, many Starr County residents particularly support Trump’s border policies – an issue they believe was mishandled by the Biden administration.
Retired Border Patrol agent Alberto Olivares told Cortes, “It’s those policies that resulted in the defeat of the Democratic candidate in this election. You can’t have an open border. There’s a reason the laws are enacted.”
“I’ve had people knock on my windows and my doors,” another Starr County resident said, recalling her encounters with illegal immigrants. “You don’t know who these people are. I’m afraid of what’s coming through because we don’t know.”
As Cortes highlights the shifting political landscape with the “potential for restoring and reclimaing our great republic,” others stress the importance of engaging with Hispanic communities.
“If we want to build a permanent Catholic majority that defends life, family, and faith, we can’t afford to let this moment slip away. We need to stand with Hispanic communities now more than ever,” CatholicVote’s Joshua Mercer wrote. “What we’re doing right now will reshape American politics for years to come.”
Reflecting on his visit to Starr County, Cortes shared a video on X highlighting the residents’ deep Christian faith and its influence on their political beliefs.
“Most of all, I was impressed by their faith,” Cortes said. “I don’t think I’ve come to another part of America that has the same kind of Christian faith authenticity… It’s a model for all of us.”
