On March 11, 2006, American Jews were preparing for Purim, which was just two days away. They planned parties, gift baskets, and megillahreadings secure in the knowledge that in the land of the free, they could practice their faith without fear of government interference. Meanwhile, in McAllen, Texas, another religious community seeking to peacefully practice its faith was in for a rude surprise.
That day, members of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas gathered at a pow-pow, a religious ceremony involving drums, dances, and eagle feathers. The tribe welcomed outsiders to observe the ritual, so a stranger politely observing and asking questions did not raise any suspicions. This man, however, was an undercover agent for the federal government's Fish and Wildlife Service. His mission? To investigate the tribe's possession of contraband eagle feathers.
Once he discovered the origin of the feathers, the agent confiscated them and threatened the pastor conducting the ceremony with fines and jail time should he continue to use eagle feathers in accordance with his faith. This demand was untenable to the pastor, Robert Soto, because sacred feathers are an important part of his tribe's dances and traditional rites.
