The Trump administration and a small Catholic diocese have entered a legal confrontation over Mount Cristo Rey. At the heart of this struggle is a 29-foot-tall limestone statue of Jesus that stands as a beacon of faith for thousands of pilgrims who travel to the New Mexico border every year. As the government moves to seize 14 acres of land at the mountain’s base for the border wall, the Diocese of Las Cruces is standing firm to protect what it considers a sacred space.
According to The New York Times, the situation is becoming increasingly tense as construction deadlines loom. The Department of Homeland Security is looking to build about 1.5 miles of new wall, and it has initiated a lawsuit to take control of the land. While the government has offered roughly $180,000 as compensation, the diocese is arguing that the project would desecrate a holy landmark and violate the religious liberties of those who worship there.
