U.S. Government Seeks to Seize Church Land Near Mount Cristo Rey for Border Wall
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The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit to seize approximately 14 acres of land from the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces at the base of Mount Cristo Rey in New Mexico. The Department of Homeland Security is using eminent domain to take the property, offering $183,071 in compensation, while the Diocese is mounting a religious freedom defense. The case is part of broader efforts to secure land for border wall construction, which has faced pushback from other landowners.
Facts First
- The Trump administration is suing the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces to seize about 14 acres of church land in Dona Ana County, New Mexico.
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is using eminent domain for the land, with a proposed compensation of $183,071.
- The Diocese is defending its property using First Amendment religious expression and Religious Freedom Restoration Act arguments.
- The land is at the base of Mount Cristo Rey, home to a 29-foot-tall statue of Jesus and a site for an annual pilgrimage attracting up to 40,000 people.
- Similar land access efforts have faced delays from other private landowners, with some wall sections in West Texas being removed.
What Happened
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin initiated a lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces, according to a complaint filed last week. The Trump administration is seeking to use eminent domain to take approximately 14 acres of land from the Catholic Church in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. The legal complaint suggests that just compensation for the land is $183,071. The Diocese is using a First Amendment defense regarding the right to religious expression and a Religious Freedom Restoration Act defense to retain the land.
Why this Matters to You
This case could affect how the government balances national security projects with private property and religious rights. If the government prevails, it may set a precedent for using eminent domain to take land owned by religious institutions for public infrastructure projects. For local communities, the outcome could impact access to Mount Cristo Rey, a site where as many as 40,000 people participate in an annual mass each fall. The legal process itself may delay or alter border security construction plans in the region.
What's Next
The lawsuit will proceed through the federal court system, where a judge will weigh the government's eminent domain claim against the Diocese's religious freedom defenses. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Diocese did not respond to recent requests for comment, suggesting negotiations may not be active. The resolution of this case could influence other pending land access disputes, as letters sent to private landowners in the region state that land could be taken through eminent domain if construction is not voluntarily allowed.