Las Cruces Diocese fights federal effort to seize Mount Cristo Rey property for border wall (New Mexico)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | May 14, 2026 | Patrick Lohmann Source NM

[CedarDave]

The federal government last week revealed it intended to use eminent domain to wrest a 1.3-mile stretch of New Mexico borderland from the Catholic diocese for a border barrier, but church officials in federal court filings Friday argued that doing so would violate their religious freedom.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol first announced last summer that it intended to build a border wall along the southern skirt of Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park, which the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces owns. Officials told Source NM at the time that site “was a major human smuggling infiltration site for the cartels.”

Last week, lawyers for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Land Acquisition Section escalated their efforts, filing a notice in federal court seeking to seize the roughly 14 acres that comprise the church’s property along the New Mexico-Mexico border. According to the filings, the land would be used to build roads, fences and other structures to “help secure” the border.

In separate filings, the government said it would offer the diocese $180,000 for the property, which government lawyers said was the fair market value of the land.

But on Friday, the diocese, through its lawyers at the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy & Protection at Georgetown University Law Center, urged a judge to hold off on a deposit and land title transfer, because the diocese believes such a land seizure violates its First Amendment rights to freedom of religion.

The diocese’s lawyers argued that Mount Cristo Rey is a “holy site” and noted that roughly 40,000 people annually climb Mount Cristo Rey, which has a 29-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ at its peak, for a religious pilgrimage.

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TOPICS: Local News; Religion; Society
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; catholiccartels; fakenews; illegals; liberalcatholics; mexico; mtcristorey; newmexico; texas

[CedarDave]

Here we go again. This was covered in detail in this thread ( Trump Admin fighting to seize Catholic pilgrimage site ) a couple of days ago. The land the Feds want is next to the Mexican border about 1,000 feet south of the Mount Cristo Rey statue and 400 feet lower in elevation. Public access is by a long steep 2+ mile hike from the north side. It's doubtful the Georgetown lawyer representing the Diocese has even been there to see there will be no impact on the statue or access.

Mexican cartels currently control the south side and use the area for both smuggling and lookouts for Border Patrol vehicles. The Diocese website actually warns visitors to attend during scheduled events when security (including police on horseback) is present, otherwise they can be assaulted and robbed.

[CedarDave]

NM Freepers, please see the earlier link for details on the project and non-impacts on the statue and public access.

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[rktman]

Surely the powers in Santa Fe will step in to see the wall continues. 😂😂😂. Hope you’re well CedarDave.

[marktwain]

180K for 14 acres of remote and uninhabited desert seems rather generous. It is 12,857 dollars per acre.

I suspect it is either 14K or 13K per acre with the 14 acres being a rounded figure up from 13.x acres.

That is a high price for uninhabited desert land. Federal Fish and Wildlife only offered me $250 an acre just a few years ago! I sold a fair amount at $1000 an acre. I’d love to get 12K per acre.

[CedarDave]

Here is the actual warning from the Mount Christo Rey website:

Due to the proximity of Mexico on the Southern edge of the mountain, visitors are cautioned not climb alone and always go in groups. Vandalism, assaults and robberies are still an ongoing problem and visitors are encouraged to visit on days when organized events are being held and security is on site. Please visit the events page to get dates of upcoming events.

[CedarDave]

Mount Cristo Rey in Sunland Park, as seen from a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter on Dec. 14, 2021. Justin Hamel/For The Texas Tribune

[Ronald77]

Many go up this mountain on their hands and knees.

[packrat35]

They support illegals and are trying their best to leave a route open for their fellow Catholics.

[Macoozie]

Take the phookin land, and pay fair market value.
That’s how it works.

[No name given]

Exactly.

[No name given]

This diocese needs to lose their tax exempt status.

[Az Joe]

The gov has a permanent, 100+ year, 60 foot wide, easment along the entire border.

I believe its call the “Roosevelt Easment”. (Teddy)

[SunkenCiv]

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• JUST IN: Senate Parliamentarian Rules Against Major Sections of Reconciliation Bill Funding ICE, Border Patrol [05/14/2026]
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• In four months, border agents arrest 1,000 child sex offenders in Tampa area [05/05/2026]
  • Trump's border wall lurches closer to schedule (Status Update) [05/10/2026]
• One in five Fairfax County residents is an illegal immigrant or lives with one, expert testifies [05/15/2026]
  • Virginia Dem Gov Spanberger signs bill banning assault weapons, NRA immediately files lawsuit [05/15/2026]
• US Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks is resigning effective immediately [05/14/2026]

[xone]

Not enough for the wall.

[Paladin2]

Send the Bishop to ‘Gitmo for treason.

[Bikkuri]

Then they need to put a fence around that property on THIS side of the border, and go through a border check to go in or out.

[Az Joe]

Not enough space needed for irs construction and roads ction and roads true.

Also, the Indian res’ are exempted.

[CedarDave]

Not enough for the wall.

The earlier article says CBP wants an additional 190 feet for access. The total of 240 feet still provides a buffer of about 1,000 feet south of the statue and it is almost 400 feet lower in elevation. The photo in the article shows the south side of the statue and is looking to the northeast with New Mexico on the left and Texas on the right. The Rio Grande separates NM and TX in the photo.

[LegendHasIt]

I rather imagine that this is purely a ‘Business Deccision’ by the church leaders, not really a “First Amendment” thing..

I bet that the church makes a lot more than $180,000 from letting the Cartels and Coyotes use their land for access, and that more butts in their pews and pesos in their collection baskets get there via people sneaking through their land.

I hate the idea of the government spending more money than the actual value of what they get, but maybe they should make a much more lucrative offer to the church for the land... Enough to tempt them with short term profits away from their long term profits from the Cartels and what the sneakers-in put in the collection baskets over the years.

[wjcsux]

If a developer came along and offered them a big pile of cash, they’d probably sell it in a heartbeat. In my hometown of Tucson, the diocese sold two historical convents that were built in the early 1900’s. They kept the original buildings and surrounded them with shitty condos.