A strong partnership with Mexico is critical to the vitality, security, and long-term success of South Texas communities. International agreements, such as the 1944 Water Treaty and the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, are economic tools that allow our nations to collaborate, promote trade, and protect the resources we rely on. But these agreements are only as strong as the commitment to meet their terms. 

The 1944 Water Treaty requires the Mexican government to deliver 350,000 acre-feet of water annually from the Rio Grande, resulting in over 1 million acre-feet during a five-year cycle. For the last 50 years, the Mexican government has refused to uphold the agreement. 

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Beginning in the early 1990s, recurring drought led to a pattern of missed deliveries, compounding water debt, and delayed repayments from the government of Mexico, which put an immense strain on resources for Texas agriculture. The lack of water devastated Texas farmers, businesses, and local economies. In 2023, Texas lost its last sugar mill due to water shortages. By early 2025, Texas was on the brink of losing citrus.

South Texas farmers reached a breaking point. While the agreement requires an annual delivery of 350,000 acre-feet of water, the missed deliveries caused deficiencies to compound exponentially. Earlier this year, the debt surpassed 1.3 million acre-feet. To put this into perspective, this amount would service the water needs of the city of Houston for almost three years. 

After I met with President Donald Trump at the White House, the momentum on securing water deliveries began to build. Shortly thereafter, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the fight and secured a commitment from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to send up to 420,000 acre-feet of water through October 2025.

Though this was a breakthrough for South Texas, the risk of missed water deliveries remains, and our work is far from over. We must ensure Texas never faces water shortfalls again by implementing a lasting, long-term solution.

As the USMCA is reviewed, it is imperative that we incorporate the 1944 Water Treaty in the final agreement. By doing so, we can tie water delivery obligations with trade policy to ensure there are enforcement mechanisms in place to hold the Mexican government accountable. Water is just as vital to our communities as our trade relationship with Mexico, and it’s time our agreements reflect it.

IT’S TIME TO AUDIT THE DEATH BUREAUCRACY

During a recent House Agriculture Committee hearing, Rollins committed to advocating the inclusion of the 1944 Water Treaty in ≤≥the USMCA. Throughout the negotiation process, I will continue to work alongside the Trump administration to fight for South Texas and secure the inclusion of the 1944 Water Treaty into the final 2026 USMCA agreement.

With this long-term, enforceable solution, we can protect Texas agriculture and ensure our communities thrive.

Monica De La Cruz is a member of Congress from Texas’s 15th Congressional District.