Church leaders have warned the move could “irreparably damage” the sanctity of the area and turn sacred ground into “a symbol of division.”
According to The Associated Press and The Texas Tribune, the federal government filed a lawsuit last week seeking to take 14 acres of land owned by the Diocese of Las Cruces near the US–Mexico border.
The administration said the land was needed for barriers and technology “designed to help secure the United States-Mexico border.”
The land sits below Mount Cristo Rey, a 720-foot mountain topped with a 29-foot statue of Jesus Christ overlooking Ciudad Juárez, El Paso and Sunland Park.
Court documents show the government offered the church around £145,000 for the land.
The diocese argues the move violates its First Amendment right to religious expression. In court documents, church leaders said the proposed wall could “obstruct pilgrimage routes” and “transfer sacred space into a symbol of division”.
Every autumn, up to 40,000 people make a pilgrimage to Mount Cristo Rey, where the Diocese of Las Cruces and El Paso host a Mass linked to the feast of Christ the King. Some reportedly complete the five-mile journey barefoot, while others crawl on their knees.
Veronica Escobar criticised the move, saying the administration had shown “blatant disregard” for what communities in the region value.