U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz wrote to Mexican President-Elect Claudia Sheinbaum requesting a meeting to address the 896,567 acre-feet of water that Mexico owes the United States under a 1944 international treaty as of June 29.

In the letter to President-Elect Sheinbaum, De La Cruz wrote that under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico agreed to supply an average of 350,000 acre-feet of water annually to the United States over a five-year cycle, but its water delivery is overdue.

“Unfortunately, there have been consistent delays in meeting these obligations which are causing agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley to suffer,” De La Cruz wrote.

Referring to the water shortage as “a true crisis for both communities and farmers” in her district, she urged the incoming president to fulfill Mexico’s commitment, pointing out that its lack of water delivery caused the last operating sugar mill in the state to close its doors, resulting in a loss of 500 jobs.

According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) website, “Mexico has had multiple years where they have not met their Treaty requirements.” The amount of water distributed to Texas falls far below sufficient levels.

Officials from Mexico state that the scarcity is due to the country’s worst drought in over a decade and argue that the agreement allows for delays during extreme conditions.

However, De La Cruz wants the federal government to withhold funding for Mexico until it complies with the treaty.

In May, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) expressed his support for withholding funds from Mexico in a letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees since other negotiations failed.

“Farmers and ranchers across South Texas remain under continued financial strain,” Cornyn said. He added that the “lack of reliable water delivery affects municipalities and threatens the quality of life for many American citizens living along our border.”

In addition to water shortages from Mexico, Texas agriculture is also challenged by the U.S. government’s increasing land acquisitions. The Biden administration’s “30×30” initiative, opposed by Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, seeks to control a much larger portion of the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge by 2030.

Debra McClure

Debra McClure is a contract writer for Texas Scorecard. She is also a former teacher.

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