Colonia Juarez , Mexico ( CNN ) -- In the rolling hills of northern Mexico , about 180 miles south of the U.S. border , lies a community that stands out for its religious roots . The houses in this community surrounded by peach and apple orchards look more like homes you would find in the American Southwest than in Mexico . On top of a hill stands a gleaming white Mormon temple , a rarity in this largely Catholic country . Miles Anthony Romney is a resident in this community called Colonia Juarez and a practicing Mormon . The 50-year-old owner of orchards and a fruit packing plant says his family descends from Mormons who settled in this area more than 125 years ago . `` They established the apple orchards , the peach orchards , farms , ranches , and that 's basically what we do today , '' Romney said . `` We come from a hardworking family . We come from honest people . '' Romney tied with Obama in latest poll . Miles A. Romney 's great-grandfather led the first group of Mormons to the state of Chihuahua , the same Mormons to whom the family of U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney traces its heritage . In fact , Mitt Romney 's father , George -- who also ran for president in the United States -- was born in this area himself in a town called Colonia Dublan . And Miles Anthony Romney is Mitt Romney 's second cousin . Miles Romney is so proud of Mitt Romney 's political career that he managed to get a Romney bumper sticker sent to Mexico which he proudly displays on his pickup truck . He also has a Romney campaign sign on his window . And he says he ca n't understand why Mitt Romney 's religion is an issue for some people . `` I think it 's a misunderstanding on their part . I know people try to use that against Mitt , but they just ca n't find anything on him to dig up about him , '' Romney says . The first Romneys arrived in this part of Mexico around 1885 . They came from Utah , said Kelly Wayne Romney , where as Mormons , they felt they had to deal with religious persecution and the controversy over polygamy . There are still about 40 members of the Romney family here in Colonia Juarez who trace their roots back to those first settlers . Kelly Romney is also a resident of Colonia Juarez . The 69-year-old is Mitt Romney 's second cousin as well . He says that , among the first settlers , `` it was actually a very small percentage of the church that practiced polygamy . '' The community has n't practiced polygamy since the church banned it in the late 1800s . His peach and apple orchards , together with those owned by other members of the Romney family , are a crucial source of employment in this part of Mexico . A fruit packing cooperative owned by several of the Romneys is also an important economic engine in the community . The Romney family and other Mormon settlers built a bilingual school in 1904 that is attended by the children of all the members of the Mormon community . Kelly Romney says Mitt Romney himself has never been here , but the fruit grower says he saw him once in the States . `` I was on a plane one time from Salt Lake City to New York and he was on it . My wife kept trying to get me to go meet him , but I guess I was a little timid and thought , 'Well when we get off in New York I 'll meet him , ' but we got off and he went on to Boston , '' Kelly Romney said . As much as he admires his second cousin , Kelly Romney says he disagrees with his position on immigration . `` There should be guest worker programs for these [ Mexican ] people that are practically starving to death to be able to go over there and do work that the American people would not do , '' Romney said . More than anything , this branch of the Romney family defines itself by the teachings of its church , and feels allegiance to both Mexico and the United States . Kelly Romney says he knows the national sports of both countries equally well . But when asked what country he would root for in a soccer match between the United States and Mexico , he replies `` Mexico ! '' with a quick smile . `` We have a loyalty to this country . We were born here , '' Romney says .
Republican Mitt Romney has cousins in Mexico . They came from Utah to settle in Mexico in the late 1800s . They are loyal both to their cousin and to Mexico .