Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has confirmed that contractors have started using explosives at Mount Cristo Rey along the south side of the mountain at the New Mexico-Mexico border. The mountain in the past has been used extensively by smugglers to send migrants into the United States illegally. Its rugged terrain, brush and ravines provide cover for migrants who attempt to reach the vehicles of smugglers waiting below. Nonetheless, environmentalists from New Mexico and Mexico are opposed to wall construction and some residents have expressed concerns the blasts may damage the iconic statue at the top of Mount Cristo Rey. The Department of Homeland Security has reassured locals that the explosions pose no threat to the shrine and that the barrier won’t hinder biannual pilgrimages
