World · Latin America · 2 hrs ago
Texas claims nine Rio Grande islands as Mexico calls for treaty respect
Texas has claimed nine islands in the Rio Grande as state property and authorized the Texas National Guard to access them.
The islands lie along the river border between Mexico and the United States, between Laredo and McAllen.
The Texas General Land Office reviewed 28 islands after a request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and identified nine it says belong to Texas.
Texas says patrols will help prevent criminal use, although the state has not confirmed criminal activity on these islands.
Mexico says the 1970 boundary treaty places the border in the middle of the river’s normal channel, which can shift naturally.
Mexico says the binational boundary commission alone can determine where the border runs and which side of it each island lies on.
Mexico says it will monitor actions in the area and wants any work on the islands considered and approved under the treaty.
Texas has designated nine islands in the Rio Grande as state property and authorized access for law enforcement and border security operations.
Mexico says the 1970 Boundary Treaty governs the border and that only the International Boundary and Water Commission can determine which side of it the islands lie on.
Texas says the move followed a request from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to study 28 islands whose ownership was considered unclear.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said the islands could be patrolled and checked for illegal activity.
Mexico says it will monitor actions in the area and supports addressing the issue through treaty mechanisms and bilateral dialogue.
- Who
- Texas authorities, led by Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, designated the islands as state property. Mexico’s Foreign Ministry challenged the state’s authority to determine the border.
- What
- Texas designated nine Rio Grande islands as state property and authorized law enforcement access. Mexico says the 1970 treaty and the International Boundary and Water Commission govern the boundary.
- When
- The story was reported on October 30 and 31, 2026. Buckingham’s letter was dated October 26.
- Where
- Nine islands in the Rio Grande along the Texas border with Mexico, between Laredo and McAllen.
- Why
- Texas says the islands can be accessed and patrolled for border security and to prevent their use by cartels and smugglers. Mexico says the treaty governs island ownership and boundary determinations.
Texas government
Mexican government
Authority
Texas government
Texas says its General Land Office used records to determine that nine islands belong to the state.
Mexican government
Mexico says a state government cannot determine the international boundary or which side of it an island lies on.
Security rationale
Texas government
Texas says access will support patrols and checks for illegal activity, including cartel and smuggling activity.
Mexican government
Mexico says actions on the islands must follow the treaty and be considered and approved through the International Boundary and Water Commission.
Mexico and the United States signed the Boundary Treaty to resolve border disputes and regulate future changes in the river basin’s channels.
The Texas General Land Office studied 28 Rio Grande islands considered unclaimed or of undetermined ownership and identified nine as state property.
Buckingham sent a letter authorizing the Texas National Guard to access the islands.
- Islands designated
- 9
- Islands studied
- 28
- Treaty
- 1970 Boundary Treaty between Mexico and the United States
- Texas official
- Dawn Buckingham, Texas land commissioner
- Area
- Rio Grande, between Laredo and McAllen
3 sources
What people are saying
Accordingly, any work or action intended to be carried out on these islands requires consideration and approval by both sections of that Commission in accordance with Article IV of the Treaty.
Now that the GLO has confirmed that these nine islands belong to the state of Texas, we are notifying our partners of the law enforcement so they can access these state properties for the purpose of patrolling, inspecting, and removing any illegal activity they may find, in accordance with the law.
The territory of Texas will never become a safe haven for cartels, human traffickers, smugglers, or other criminal organizations.
Posts on X
Nota informativa. https://t.co/HNDZpSuo0k