Mexico to make ‘immediate’ water payment to US as Trump threatens sanctions

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Hours after President Donald Trump threatened Mexico with additional tariffs over a massive water debt, that country's president publicly vowed to make a substantial payment soon.

Under a 1944 treaty, Mexico must send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande every five years, and the United States is to pay Mexico 1.5 million acre-feet of water annually via the Colorado River out West.

The current five-year cycle ends in October and Mexico, so far, has paid only 512,604 acre-feet of water to the United States — about one-third of what it owes — according to the latest IBWC data published Friday.

“Mexico is unfortunately violating their treaty obligation,” Trump posted on Truth Social late Thursday. “My Agriculture Secretary, Brooke Rollins, is standing up for Texas farmers, and we will keep escalating consequences, including TARIFFS and, maybe even SANCTIONS, until Mexico honors the Treaty, and GIVES TEXAS THE WATER THEY ARE OWED!”

Trump specifically mentioned the effect the lack of water payments has had on South Texas farmers, and he touted a recent decision to withhold U.S. water payments to Mexico.

“I will make sure Mexico doesn’t violate our Treaties, and doesn’t hurt our Texas Farmers. Just last month, I halted water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complies with the 1944 Water Treaty,” Trump wrote.

On Friday morning, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said her country doesn’t have enough water to give to the United States but will make payments.

“To the farmers in Texas who are demanding the water: There will be an immediate delivery of a number of millions of cubic meters that we can give according to how much water the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) has,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said in a news conference Friday. “And we hope the rainy season brings us more water so we can deliver more to the U.S.”

She did not specify the amount nor the date the water would flow to South Texas farmers whose crops are suffering the consequences of the late payments.

The recent withholding of water by the U.S. is the first in recent memory during the treaty's 80 years, but U.S. International Boundary and Water Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner last week told Border Report that was meant to be a “first step” in getting Mexico to pay up the water it owes.

Full repayment is not expected given the few months remaining in the cycle. An acre-foot of water is about 325,000 gallons or equivalent to filling an acre of land with 1-foot deep. Two acre-feet of water is enough to fill a 50-meter Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Thursday’s Border Report Live examined the possibility of a water war brewing on the border and was broadcast just hours before Trump’s post.

“This is very unfair," Trump wrote. "And it is hurting South Texas Farmers very badly. Last year, the only Sugar Mill in Texas CLOSED, because Mexico has been stealing the water from Texas Farmers."

Sheinbaum acknowledged her country’s water management capabilities need and will be modernized, and she threw a barb at the U.S. government for allegedly not complying with a treaty obligation of expanding the capability of a water treatment plant in Southern California.

She responded with a smile when a reporter in Mexico City asked her about Trump’s threat.

Do you believe the threat of sanctions?

“No, I don’t believe it,” Sheimbaum responded. “As we know, that is the way President Trump communicates.”

But she said a binational working group is working on the issue and will review the “technical aspects” of the treaty when it comes to drought. Mexican officials blame climate change for three consecutive years of drought in northern Mexico.

“What else are we doing? Another thing we’re doing – not because of the treaty but because it's beneficial to Mexico – is (modernize) water districts, especially those close to the (Rio Grande) so they don’t use so much water,” she said.

She said Chihuahua, whose tributaries feed the Rio Grande as it flows toward South Texas, has substantially expanded nut tree farms, which consume lots of water.

“Chihuahua consumes a lot of water. We need to make irrigation more efficient so that not so much water is used. In fact, they have wells that are unregulated,” the Mexican president said.

Mexican news media have reported that up to 7,000 unregulated wells or illicit water taps are draining tributaries in that region.

Last month, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins toured the Rio Grande Valley and announced a $280 million federal block grant to help those affected by water shortages.

In addition to the state’s only sugar mill shutting down in Santa Rosa, Texas, leaders in Hidalgo County issued a disaster declaration due to drought and lack of water from Mexico.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Texas, who represents that part of the border, thanked Trump on Friday on X writing: “Thank you @POTUS for holding the Mexican government accountable for the water they owe South Texans.

Sheinbaum characterized Mexico’s relationship with the Trump administration as respectful despite the ongoing water challenge and others. Trump earlier accused Mexico of not doing enough to stem illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking to the United States.

He imposed 25% tariffs on all exports, which he later walked back on exports that comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Steel, aluminum and autos manufactured in Mexico still have to pay the 25% tariff.

“I think there has been a respectful relationship and that has allowed us to have good communication with the United States and Trump,” Sheinbaum said on Friday. “We always demand respect and offer respect to the United States, and that has allowed for dialogue.”

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, said people on the American side of the border are frustrated with the delayed water deliveries. But she said Trump should negotiate with Mexico rather than act like a bully.

“The best thing the president could do is sit down with Sheinbaum and renegotiate the water. But his way of doing business is to bully people,” Escobar said. “He needs Mexico. Mexico has been a key partner in his effort to reduce migration. The day he really angers Mexico, will be a bad day for the Trump administration.”

On the other hand, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, commended Trump for being willing to inflict “maximum pain” on Mexico if it does not meet its obligations.

“South Texas farmers and ranchers have been snubbed by Mexico for years and denied the water they’re rightfully owed, but no more,” Cornyn said in a statement. “I commend President Trump for his show of force and commitment to taking back the water Mexico has essentially stolen from our agriculture community after four years of the Biden administration standing idly by as Texas farmers and ranchers struggled and Mexico took advantage of our country.”