A legal battle is unfolding at one of the Southwest’s most revered Catholic pilgrimage sites after federal officials moved to seize land surrounding the famed Cristo Rey shrine along the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to USA TODAY, the federal government filed an eminent domain action in U.S. District Court in New Mexico on May 7 seeking control of 14.2 acres on Mount Cristo Rey, where a towering statue of Christ overlooks the borderlands near El Paso, Texas, and Juárez, Mexico.
The action comes as President Donald Trump continues efforts to expand the border wall, while Pope Leo XIV has repeatedly voiced concern over harsh immigration policies and the treatment of migrants.
For generations, Mount Cristo Rey has been a sacred destination for Catholics from both the United States and Mexico. Pilgrims often make the difficult five-mile climb barefoot or carrying crosses as acts of penance and devotion. The site’s 29-foot limestone statue of Christ the King, completed in 1940, faces east toward the rising sun and has become a symbol of faith and unity across borders.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces is asking a federal judge to stop the land seizure, arguing that construction of a border barrier through the holy site would interfere with religious practice and damage the spiritual significance of the mountain.
“The erection of a border wall through or along this holy site could irreparably damage its religious and cultural sanctity, obstruct pilgrimage routes, and transfer sacred space into a symbol of division,” the Church stated in court filings, according to USA TODAY.
Federal officials insist the project is necessary for border security. In statements cited by USA TODAY, officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the government attempted to purchase the land voluntarily before turning to eminent domain proceedings. The proposed “Smart Wall” would reportedly include “steel bollards, roads and remote-detection technology.”
“It is always CBP’s preference to obtain real estate interests voluntarily,” Homeland Security officials said, “however, if CBP is unable to acquire the necessary access voluntarily within a reasonable timeframe, CBP refers the matter to the Department of Justice to acquire any necessary property interest(s) through eminent domain.”
According to the diocese, as many as 40,000 pilgrims visit the mountain during the annual feast of Christ the King. Though pilgrims from Mexico must now cross through official ports of entry before climbing the mountain, the shrine continues to draw faithful Catholics from both sides of the border.
The mountain’s history is deeply tied to the Mexican American Catholic community that once lived in Smeltertown, a village near the mountain that no longer exists. Residents who worked in a nearby lead smelter spent nearly a decade building the statue and trail leading to the summit.
Critics of the seizure say the government is placing politics above the protection of sacred places. U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar condemned the effort, saying, “Mt. Cristo Rey’s cultural and religious significance is central to our region.”
“Seizing this community asset in order to build a border wall is consistent with the Trump administration’s blatant disregard for what communities like ours value,” she said, according to USA TODAY.
The dispute also highlights a growing debate within the Catholic world over immigration and national borders. Pope Leo XIV has warned repeatedly that Christians must not lose sight of the dignity of migrants and refugees, emphasizing the Gospel call to compassion and solidarity.
At the same time, federal officials point to a dramatic reduction in illegal border crossings in the El Paso sector. USA TODAY reported that migrant encounters dropped from roughly 40,000 in March 2023 to about 1,200 in March of this year.
As the legal fight continues, Catholics across the region are watching closely to see whether one of the border’s most beloved shrines will remain a place of pilgrimage — or become the next battleground in America’s immigration debate.
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