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Catholic Church demands judge stop federal takeover of Mount Cristo Rey

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https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/catholic-church-demands-judge-stop-federal
-takeover-of-mount-cristo-rey/ 

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. – The Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces wants a federal
judge to block the U.S. government from immediately taking Church land
while a legal battle over the future of Mount Cristo Rey plays out in
court. 

The U.S. government wants to seize 14.259 acres of diocesan property on
the mountain to build a border wall. 

The request comes after Chief U.S. District Judge Kenneth J. Gonzales
ruled Monday that the Trump administration could deposit $183,071 into a
court registry as compensation for the land. However, Gonzales also
ruled the payment would not end the Church’s right to challenge the land
seizure in court. 

Though the U.S. government was allowed to deposit money for the land,
the Church argues the court still has the power to delay access to the
property while it reviews the Church’s claims. 

Construction timeline in play?
In a filing submitted Friday, the Church argued the U.S. government’s
request for immediate possession of the land would allow construction to
start before a final ruling is made. 

In its court filing, the Church said the U.S. government already has
contracts with construction companies and could face penalties for
delays. The Church argued the construction timeline should not override
its legal challenges. 

“The Government seeks an order of immediate possession on an expedited
basis,” the Church said in its response. “The Government’s only
justification for its rush is that it has already contracted with
construction companies to deface Mount Cristo Rey—a holy site to
Catholics and other people of faith in the borderland region—so that it
can begin constructing a border wall that very likely will damage or
restrict access to this sacred space and dilute the religious experience
of visitors to the mountain.” 

What the Church is arguing
The Church argues its protections under the First Amendment and
Religious Freedom Restoration Act should override the U.S. government’s
claim to the land under the Declaration of Taking Act. 

The feds note the land seizure will not block access to the shrine,
while maps in court documents do not show any interference with the
trails leading up to the monument. 

However, Church leaders argue the wall would change the meaning of the
site even if the shrine remained open. 

“A high imposing wall on this mountain would be a scar on this place of
natural beauty and sacred significance,” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz said
in a declaration included in the filing. 

Mount Cristo Rey, which straddles the New Mexico-Texas border near
Ciudad Juárez, is home to a 29-foot limestone statue of Jesus Christ
completed in 1939. The shrine serves as a pilgrimage site for thousands
of Catholics in the region. Each year, up to 40,000 people climb the
mountain for religious celebrations, with many making the journey
barefoot or on their knees. 

The Church also highlighted government exemptions for secular sites
along the border, such as Big Bend National Park, but said the same
consideration was not offered for Mount Cristo Rey. 

See More: Sacred ground or border wall? Judge rules feds can deposit
money to seize land from Catholic Church 

Full response from the Diocese of Las Cruces
https://www.kob.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Response-from-the-Catholic
-Church.pdf 


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Catholic Church demands judge stop federal takeover of Mount Cristo Rey "Leroy N. Soetoro" <leroysoetoro@americans-first.com> - 2026-07-07 21:43 +0000

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