play_arrow

keyboard_arrow_right

Listeners:

Top listeners:

skip_previous skip_next
00:00 00:00
playlist_play chevron_left
volume_up
  • cover play_arrow

Trump Admin Again Claims Mexico Will Comply With Water Treaty

Background

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor

(Worthy News) – The Trump administration is again saying Mexico will comply with a water treaty after claiming it would earlier this year and seven months later it still hadn’t.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced water deliveries to Texas began this week.

Seven months after the initial claim that Mexico would comply, it hadn’t. Gov. Greg Abbott again demanded that Mexican authorities fulfill their treaty obligation, as he has repeatedly done, and pointed to a potential solution proposed by Texas U.S. senators, The Center Square reported.

At issue is a 1944 Treaty of Utilization of Waters, which governs water usage between the U.S. and Mexico, including from two international reservoirs, Lake Amistad and Falcon Lake in Texas along the international border. Mexico has historically released water storage from Lake Amistad to Mexican growers, not to Texas growers, and the U.S. federal government hasn’t enforced the treaty. Last year, Mexican officials killed any agreements to release water to Texans, even running ads in Mexico City to protest compliance, according to several news reports.

The Rio Grande Valley is among the most fertile agricultural regions in Texas and the U.S. Half of crop production acreage in the lower Rio Grande Valley is irrigated. In order to grow a wide range of crops, farmers rely on water from the Colorado and Rio Grande rivers. The agricultural industry in the valley contributes roughly $1 billion annually to the economy and provides roughly 8,400 full-time jobs, The Center Square reported.

Under the Biden administration, calls for Mexico to comply fell on deaf ears and systemic water shortages forced Texas’ last sugar mill to close, The Center Square reported.

Under the treaty, Mexico is obligated to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet over five years to the United States from the Rio Grande River; the U.S. is obligated to deliver 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Mexico from the Colorado River. The U.S. has consistently met its delivery obligations, according to International Boundary and Water Commission data.

The last five-year cycle ended in October with Mexico only having delivered approximately 885,000 acre-feet, less than 50% of its total obligation. Mexico’s delivery deficit was more than 800,000 acre-feet of water, equivalent to roughly 2.5 years of required deliveries, according to IBWC data.

Four days after The Center Square reported that Mexico still hadn’t complied seven months after the administration’s claim and Texas still hadn’t received its water, the State Department issued a statement saying senior officials met with Mexican officials to “discuss immediate and concrete steps Mexico would take” to comply. “The officials examined available water resources and the United States pressed for the maximum possible deliveries to Texas users. We have requested additional information and will reconvene to consider additional options,” it said.

It also said that under the Trump administration, “Mexico has delivered more water in the last year than in the previous four years combined. However, shortfalls in Mexico’s water deliveries have exacerbated water scarcity in Texas and contributed to hundreds of millions of dollars in crop losses for farmers.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has “been clear that Mexico must meet their obligations … including making up the approximately 865,000 acre-feet shortfall over the 2020-2025 five-year cycle and meeting delivery requirements under the 2025-2030 cycle,” it said.

His office is attempting to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels but is also evaluating “all available options to ensure Mexico complies with its water delivery obligations,” it says.

Three weeks later, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced an agreement had been reached, with new water deliveries beginning this week.

“Mexico has agreed to release 202,000-acre feet of water to the United States with deliveries expected to begin the week of December 15, 2025,” Rollins said. “Timely repayment of the outstanding deficit from the previous water cycle is understood by Mexico. The United States and Mexico are in negotiations to finalize a plan by the end of January 2026.”

“Although this is a step in the right direction, President Trump has been very clear: if Mexico continues to violate its commitments, the United States reserves the right and will impose 5% tariffs on Mexican products,” she added.

Rollins also said a “series of actions to meet the treaty obligations have been reviewed, including timely repayment of the outstanding deficit from the previous water cycle,” in accordance with the treaty.

Negotiations are ongoing; a plan is expected to be finalized by Jan. 31, 2026.

Reprinted with permission from The Center Square.

Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.


Latest News from Worthy News

U.S. Intelligence Chiefs: China’s Acquisition of American Voter Data Meets Definition of Election Interference
U.S. Intelligence Chiefs: China’s Acquisition of American Voter Data Meets Definition of Election Interference
Thursday, July 30, 2026

Senior U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that China’s alleged acquisition of American voter-registration data falls within the government’s definition of foreign election interference, according to information released Thursday by the White House.

U.S.-Iran War Widens as Saudi Arabia Joins American Strikes on Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq
U.S.-Iran War Widens as Saudi Arabia Joins American Strikes on Iran-Backed Militias in Iraq
Thursday, July 30, 2026

The widening war between the United States and Iran entered a dangerous new phase Wednesday as American and Saudi forces carried out coordinated strikes against Iran-backed militias across Iraq, marking the first publicly acknowledged joint combat operation of its kind between Washington and Riyadh.

Migrants Overwhelm Spain’s Ceuta Enclave As Hundreds Swim From Morocco (Worthy News In-Depth)
Migrants Overwhelm Spain’s Ceuta Enclave As Hundreds Swim From Morocco (Worthy News In-Depth)
Thursday, July 30, 2026

Spanish authorities warned Wednesday of an “extraordinary, exceptional situation” after hundreds of migrants swam from Morocco to the tiny Spanish territory of Ceuta, overwhelming reception facilities and prompting renewed concern over migration pressures on Europe’s southern border.

Trump Orders ‘Heavy Wave’ of Strikes on Iran After Missile Attack on U.S. Forces
Trump Orders ‘Heavy Wave’ of Strikes on Iran After Missile Attack on U.S. Forces
Wednesday, July 29, 2026

The United States unleashed a heavy wave of airstrikes against Iran early Thursday after President Donald Trump vowed severe retaliation for Tehran’s surprise ballistic missile attack on American forces stationed in Jordan.

Nigerian Christians Massacred In Kaduna Attack As Death Toll Reportedly Exceeds 60
Nigerian Christians Massacred In Kaduna Attack As Death Toll Reportedly Exceeds 60
Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Christians in Nigeria were mourning Wednesday after dozens of believers were killed in coordinated attacks on villages in the country’s northwestern Kaduna State, with local monitors warning the death toll may exceed 60.

Antisemitic Violence Reaches Deadliest Global Level in More Than 30 Years
Antisemitic Violence Reaches Deadliest Global Level in More Than 30 Years
Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Antisemitic violence worldwide reached its deadliest level in more than three decades during 2025, according to a new report documenting a sharp escalation in threats and attacks against Jewish communities.

‘We Have Special Forces Protection’: Netanyahu Tells Hannity He Does Not Fear ICC Arrest Warrant
‘We Have Special Forces Protection’: Netanyahu Tells Hannity He Does Not Fear ICC Arrest Warrant
Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli special forces could be called upon if he were threatened with arrest while traveling abroad under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court.

WHO WE ARE

The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.

CONTACT