Woman Dies After Being Smuggled Across the Border Without Water

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. – A Mexican woman who sought help after crossing into the United States collapsed in Sunland Park, New Mexico, on May 31 and later died despite extensive medical efforts, according to officials.

The woman, who was traveling with her husband, reportedly entered the U.S. under extreme heat after smugglers denied them water and forced them to proceed despite her deteriorating health, the husband told investigators.

The couple approached a home in Sunland Park around 4:30 p.m., where construction workers called 911 after the woman collapsed. Emergency responders arrived shortly after and provided life-saving aid, including intravenous therapy, ice application, and oxygen. The Sunland Park Fire Department also notified the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station, dispatching an agent to the scene.

By 5:50 p.m., an air ambulance transported the unresponsive woman to the University Medical Center of El Paso, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit later that night. Border Patrol agents maintained hospital watch until her release from custody on June 1, when both she and her husband were served with a Notice to Appear in immigration court.

The woman succumbed to her condition two days later, on June 3, at approximately 10:31 a.m. An autopsy has been ordered by the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner, with results pending.

Her husband described to investigators that they had sought out Border Patrol agents to surrender but were unable to locate one. They ultimately sought help from the nearby house, where the woman collapsed. The husband reported that while the responding Border Patrol agent did not perform life-saving efforts, they acted professionally and respectfully throughout the encounter.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility are reviewing the incident. The outcome of the investigation remains pending.