Mexico Rejects Texas's Claim to Nine Rio Grande Islands, Saying Only the Two Federal Governments Can Set the Border
Mexico's Foreign Ministry cites a 1970 treaty and says it will pursue the matter. Texas says it wants to patrol the 66 acres to keep cartels off them.
Mexico has pushed back on Texas's claim to nine islands in the Rio Grande, Breitbart reports. This follows our earlier story on the state's announcement.
Mexico's position. In a statement, Mexico's Foreign Relations Ministry said Texas has no authority to set borders with Mexico. It said a 1970 binational treaty fixes the boundary and that only the two national governments can change it. The ministry said it would pursue the matter and make sure the treaties are respected.
Texas's position. The claim came from Texas General Land Office Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who said it would let U.S. and Texas law enforcement patrol and guard the islands. "Texas land will never become a safe haven for cartels, human traffickers, smugglers, or other criminal organizations," she said. The nine islands, mostly in Starr County, total about 66 acres.
The cartel angle. Breitbart says the Gulf Cartel and the Cartel del Noreste faction have used the islands to move drugs north. It also recounts a 2025 incident in which Los Zetas gunmen hid on an island near Fronton, Texas, and fired at U.S. law enforcement before escaping south. Authorities then stormed the island and found a narco-camp.
What to keep in mind. The ownership question is between the Texas land office and Mexico's government, and the report does not include a response from federal U.S. agencies. As we noted earlier, the Daily Caller reported that no cartel activity had been confirmed on these particular islands, and Breitbart's account of past use is its own reporting.