Trump administration sues Catholic diocese to seize land on religious site near El Paso for border barrier

The Trump administration has sued the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, to seize 14 acres of land at the base of Mount Cristo Rey near El Paso, Texas, for border barrier construction. The lawsuit, filed last week in federal court, argues the land is necessary to install barriers and technology to secure the U.S.-Mexico border, with the government offering $183,000 for the property. The mountain, home to a 29-foot statue of Jesus Christ, is a sacred site for thousands of pilgrims who annually climb its five-mile trail, often barefoot or on their knees, for a mass hosted by the diocese. The church claims the barrier would damage the site’s religious and cultural significance, obstruct pilgrimage routes, and violate First Amendment rights. The Trump administration claims the area is a high-traffic route for human smuggling and migrant deaths, despite a decline in border crossings. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar criticized the move, stating it disregards community values and that alternative security measures exist. Local conservationists warn the barriers will harm biodiversity, as the mountain serves as a wildlife corridor between Mexico’s La Sierra de Juárez and El Paso’s Franklin Mountains. Ruben Escandon Jr., a spokesperson for the Mount Cristo Rey Restoration Committee, supports barriers for public safety but insists construction will not block access to the summit. The dispute highlights tensions between border security efforts and the preservation of cultural and religious heritage in the region.