Mexico Rejects Texas Claim to 9 Cartel-Controlled Islands
Mexico disputes Texas’s claim to nine islands used by cartels, citing border treaties.
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Mexico has rejected Texas’s claim to nine islands in the Rio Grande, which have long been used by drug cartels to smuggle narcotics and migrants into the United States. In a statement from the Foreign Relations Ministry, Mexico emphasized that Texas lacks the authority to set borders with Mexico, reiterating that only the federal governments of both nations can determine the border.
Border Treaty and Legal Authority
The government of Mexico highlighted a 1970 binational treaty that sets the official border between the two countries. According to the statement, the treaty establishes the legal framework for the border, and Mexico will continue to pursue the matter to ensure the treaties are respected.
Texas Claims Islands to Combat Cartels
The dispute arose after Texas Governor’s Office of Land and Water Resources Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced the state’s claim to nine islands along the Rio Grande. Buckingham stated that Texas land will never become a safe haven for cartels, human traffickers, or other criminal organizations.
The islands, primarily located in Starr County, cover approximately 66 acres and have been historically used by the Gulf Cartel and the Cartel Del Noreste faction to move drugs north. In 2025, Los Zetas gunmen used one of the islands near Fronton, Texas, to hide while they attacked U.S. law enforcement. Due to a lack of response from Mexican authorities, the gunmen were able to escape south. The following day, authorities stormed the island and discovered a narco-camp used for smuggling operations.
Cartel Activity and Border Security
The islands have become a focal point for both U.S. and Mexican law enforcement, with the Texas claim aimed at enhancing surveillance and control over the region. The U.S. government has been increasingly focused on securing the border against cartels and illegal migration, with Texas playing a key role in this effort.
Mexico’s rejection of the claim underscores the complexity of border security and the ongoing efforts of both nations to combat cartel activity. The situation highlights the challenges of enforcing border laws when the region is also a critical area for drug trafficking and human smuggling.
Source: Breitbart
