Texas Land Commissioner Seeks Control of Border Islands from Cartels

Texas Border Islands and Cartel Activity

• 🏝️ Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is seeking President Trump's help to seize control of "border islands" in the Rio Grande River.
• ⚠️ Buckingham claims these islands are being used by cartels as smuggling operations and stash sites.
• 🗺️ The islands are currently in a jurisdictional gray area, meaning neither U.S. nor Mexican law enforcement can operate on them until formally claimed.

Jurisdictional Claims and Border Control

• 🇺🇸 Texas's General Land Office maps the river's center, and land north of it is considered U.S. territory.
• 👮 Once declared U.S. territory, Texas authorities, including the Military Department and Department of Public Safety, plan to secure these islands, remove cartel strongholds, and establish operational control.
• 🤝 Buckingham stated that Texas is working seamlessly with the federal government, awaiting the declaration of these islands before federal agencies can fully engage.

Broader Border Context and Tariffs

• 📉 The discussion touches on a significant 95% reduction in southern border encounters compared to the previous year, though more work is acknowledged.
• 📈 The potential impact of tariffs on negotiations with Mexico is mentioned, but Buckingham emphasizes that securing operational control of the border remains the primary objective.
• 🤝 The commissioner highlighted that despite potential conflicts with Mexico over treaties, the focus is on achieving border security.