Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
Texas Border Business
MISSION, Texas — Texas Citrus Mutual President Dale Murden issued an urgent call for action Friday, emphasizing that the future of South Texas depends on holding Mexico accountable for water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty. Speaking at a press conference hosted by the Texas International Produce Association (TIPA) in Mission, Murden urged federal officials to link the treaty’s obligations to the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) so the United States can finally enforce water commitments vital to the Rio Grande Valley’s economy, environment, and agriculture.
“The purpose of today’s press conference is to call on Valley residents, city and county leaders, and our farmers and ranchers to unite and urge the United States Trade Representatives to act in the upcoming USMCA review and tie the 1944 Water Treaty obligations through the trade pact,” Murden said. “Linking the treaty to USMCA would make these obligations enforceable—finally allowing the United States to respond when Mexico fails to deliver.”
Murden described the Rio Grande as the region’s lifeline. “Availability affects this region in every way—regional growth, the economy, the environment, agriculture, sustainability, and our community’s health,” he said. “Over six million people rely on the Rio Grande for their daily water. Repeated shortfalls by Mexico leave Valley cities scrambling for emergency measures during droughts, without any long-term reliability.”
He warned that the problem extends far beyond water supply. “The Rio Grande is not just a water source—it’s a living ecosystem,” Murden said. “Reduced flows lead to dying wetlands, rising salinity, and loss of fish and wildlife habitat. Protecting the river’s flow is protecting the Valley’s health, welfare, and future.”
By tying the 1944 Water Treaty to the USMCA, Murden said, the United States would gain enforceable tools to safeguard water deliveries under existing trade rules. “A proposed annex on water delivery and trade compliance would make water obligations enforceable under USMCA’s environmental chapter,” he explained. “This isn’t just about trade—it’s about ensuring sustainable communities across the Valley.”
U.S. Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz, who joined Murden at the event, echoed his urgency and called the situation unacceptable. “For far too long—80 years—we have been held hostage by the Mexican government, which failed over and over to give us the water that they owed us on a timely basis,” De La Cruz said. “That’s why we lost our sugar cane industry—over 500 jobs and millions of dollars gone. That will not happen under my watch.”
De La Cruz credited recent diplomatic pressure for pushing Mexico to begin repaying its water debt, noting that it is on track to deliver 420,000 acre-feet of water by the end of October 2025. But she stressed that without enforcement mechanisms, progress will not last. “We need to put teeth on the 1944 Water Treaty,” she said. “By integrating it into the USMCA, we create consequences—real, enforceable measures if Mexico fails to comply.”
The congresswoman linked the issue directly to national interests. “Food security is national security,” De La Cruz said. “When our farmers don’t have water, our nation loses production, jobs, and resilience. This is not just a Valley issue—it’s an American issue.”
Murden closed the press conference by urging public participation in the open comment period hosted by the U.S. Trade Representative, which runs until November 3, 2025. “We want to encourage public participation in the USTR comment process and highlight the importance of uniting the Valley’s voice on water security and environmental protection,” he said. “No water, no growth, no life. It’s that simple.”
A QR code distributed at the event directs readers directly to the USTR comment portal at comments.ustr.gov, where citizens can submit their support for including the 1944 Water Treaty in the USMCA.
Residents across the Rio Grande Valley can take immediate action by submitting comments to the U.S. Trade Representative before November 3, 2025, through https://comments.ustr.gov/s/submit-new-comment?docketNumber=USTR-2025-0004 or by scanning the QR code below.
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