Migrant woman 'trapped upside down' dies after trying to climb US border wall

Border officials are investigating the death of a female Mexican migrant who earlier this week tried scaling a portion of the US border wall and got stuck in their climbing gear.

The woman climbed onto the top of the wall and "when attempting to maneuver down on the US side via a harness similar to rappelling, her foot/leg became entangled and she was trapped upside down for a significant amount of time," the the Cochise County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Tuesday.

This part of the Arizona border has seen countless border-crossing incidents, and the state's Attorney General Mark Brnovich visited earlier Friday to discuss how to hold the Biden administration accountable for their policy failings when it comes to this crisis.

According to the Associated Press, the deceased woman was a 32-year-old who tried crossing the border wall near the Douglas, Arizona, area. The cause of death was partially attributed to the victim hanging upside down for an extended period of time.

Per the local KVOA outlet, it happened around 11 am on Monday, and she was found by the evening. When agents finally located her it was too late, and the migrant was pronounced dead at the Cochise County hospital.

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said this tragedy was a reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the US - Mexico border. "We have to do better in finding solutions to the challenges facing our border, and we have to do it for the right reasons. Regardless of opinions, it is the facts that should direct our progress and we will keep working towards a shared goal of border safety and security."

Local authorities at the Cochise County Sheriff’s office are liaising with their Mexican counterparts on the inquiry. The Office of Professional Responsibility within the Customs and Border Protection agency promised that they'd release more information on the matter as it becomes known.

Within the same vicinity, a Mexican man died earlier this year after a confrontation with border agent forces.

The mayor of a border city in McAllen, Texas, on Wednesday sent a letter to the Biden administration pleading for federal officials to keep Title 42 in place. When the current White House finalized their plans to revoke the speedy migrant removal measure for the sake of public health, three GOP states reacted by filing a lawsuit against the move.

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema this week published a letter in support of Title 42, arguing the "Administration's extension of public health emergency authorities proves the need to delay lifting Title 42 to protect the health and safety of Arizona communities and migrants."

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has since gotten creative with how he's tried to bring the border crisis to the Biden administration's attention. Earlier in April, Abbott publicly announced his intent to bus illegal migrants from Texas to Washington, DC. White House press secretary Jen Psaki thought it was a publicity stunt, but the governor followed through on his promise.

Abbott didn't do it just once, but twice, and again a third time on Friday morning. It wasn't the only gimmick up the governor's sleeve. He also stepped up the pressure on inspecting all trucks from Mexico going into Texas in order to convince Mexican officials to boost border security measures.