Donald Trump’s recent political decisions may have disappointed not only Pope Leo XIV but also several long-term Republican supporters.
In recent reports, a popular builder in South Texas has publicly claimed that the Trump administration’s immigration policies have severely damaged the state’s construction sector.
According to Texas Monthly, Mario Guerrero, a 33-year-old home builder and executive director of the South Texas Builders Association, received national attention after his comments on Trump’s immigration policies.
As a strong Republican who voted for Donald Trump three times, he was frustrated when Immigration Enforcement Operations (ICE) agents began disrupting construction across the Rio Grande Valley.
Guerrero gained attention when he told Politico, “South Texas will never be red again.”
Although these polarized comments received instant backlash from MAGA members, he admitted they came after ICE raids affected both the construction industry and his personal ambitions.“This is happening across construction sites throughout the Rio Grande Valley,” he explained.
According to the San Antonio Express-News, Guerrero’s initial trigger came from a video he saw while scrolling through a group chat in mid-November.
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The clip showed federal agents abruptly detaining workers at a construction site. ICE agents arrested a man while he was pouring cement outside a home in the Rio Grande Valley. The 33-year-old experienced a range of emotions after watching the video and decided to speak up.
According to government data provided by ICE in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by The Texas Tribune, more than 9,100 people have been arrested in South Texas—accounting for nearly 20% of all arrests statewide since Trump’s second term.
Similarly, other sources claim that over 70% of individuals arrested in Dallas from October 2022 to March 10, 2025, have no criminal convictions but may have pending charges.
He said the clip triggered strong emotions, leading him to speak out against the current government. The Trump administration first announced these mass deportation policies as a way to deport illegal immigrants and criminals from the United States.
In South Texas, two of Trump’s top priorities, the economy and immigration, are colliding as ICE raids upend the construction industry and frustrate workers.#TXlegehttps://t.co/jJ9PJP7GC8
— Anna Núñez (@nunez_anna) March 19, 2026
Yet, the recent unrest has made the agenda an alleged hallmark of abuse affecting lives and separating families. Moreover, several construction workers with legal status were also detained and scrutinized by ICE agents before being released without charges.
“I called a meeting with members of the South Texas Builders Association, and we realized the impact was widespread—affecting lumber suppliers, title companies, granite businesses,” Mario Guerrero said in a different interview with Texas Monthly.
The South Texas native also said builders could not finish big projects because arrests were made without prior notice. One lumber company reported losing about 54% of its sales in the first quarter of this year due to ICE raids. He pointed out that the administration eroded trust, instilling anxiety and fear.
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“It’s time for our leaders to step up,” Guerrero said. “Our workers are struggling, our businesses are struggling. We simply don’t have the labor,” he added.
Meanwhile, other members from the South Texas Builders Association also revealed the hardships they have faced. “Business has dropped significantly,” said Ronnie Cavazos, president of the company’s board. “If this trend continues, many businesses will not survive,” he added.
