Congress blocks feds from seizing sacred mountain for border wall
H.R. 9739 — Mount Cristo Rey Protection Act · Filed by Veronica Escobar (D-TX) · Introduced Jul 16, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill prohibits the federal government from using any money to pursue a lawsuit (United States v. 14.259 Acres of Land) seeking to seize land around Mount Cristo Rey in New Mexico for border wall construction, and bars federal funding for any eminent domain action against the site. It also blocks federal funds from building security infrastructure (fencing, roads, cameras, sensors) on or near the mountain, which is owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Cruces and visited by over 40,000 pilgrims annually.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a funding prohibition that prevents federal litigation to seize a religious site. It is functionally a protection of religious freedom and public access to a pilgrimage destination, not a border-security measure or land-use bill.
What the text implies
- The bill does not prevent the government from pursuing the eminent domain case using non-federal funds or resources, though as a practical matter federal litigation is typically federally funded.
- The prohibition on security infrastructure may limit border-security operations in the area, though the bill does not explicitly address whether state or private security measures are permitted.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Citizens retain access to a major religious pilgrimage site and the government is barred from using taxpayer money to litigate a land seizure that would restrict religious practice. The bill protects religious liberty and public access to a culturally significant location without imposing costs on ordinary people.