US Government Delays Eminent Domain Hearing Over Catholic Church Land Near Mount Cristo Rey

A federal judge postponed the hearing on the U.S. Justice Department’s request to expropriate land owned by the Diocese of Las Cruces at Mount Cristo Rey, a Catholic pilgrimage site on the New Mexico‑Texas border. The hearing, originally set for July 23, will now be held in mid‑September, giving both parties more time to present arguments.

The Department of Justice seeks to seize roughly 14 acres to build border‑security infrastructure, invoking eminent domain under a congressional authorization for a wall. The Diocese argues the seizure would impede religious exercise at the site, which draws over 40,000 visitors annually. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D‑TX) introduced the Mt. Cristo Rey Protection Act, aiming to bar the use of federal funds for eminent‑domain takings of the property. If the government wins, a second phase will determine compensation for the Diocese.

The dispute highlights the clash between the Trump administration’s border‑wall expansion and religious‑liberty concerns, and it has attracted congressional attention and support from border bishops.