The story is amazing enough, but adding the photos really drives it home. Read the story before scrolling down: it’s worth it.
(Again, highly recommend reading the story before scrolling down to see the photos. Really — trust me!)
Sit On It!
It’s not known whether Enrique Aquilar Canchola, 42, thought his disguise would work, but it definitely didn’t. The Mexican national tried to cross the Mexico-U.S. border into San Ysidro, Calif., disguised as a car seat. A U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service inspector discovered the unusual camouflage when he checked the back of a van when it tried to sneak Canchola over the border. (London Times) …He agreed to it after learning immigrants are often treated like furniture.
OK, you read the story first, right?
Then only now you should scroll down to look at the photos
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Another view:
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I first saw this guy in my Canadian Law textbook in the immigration section.
I’d like to know more about this guy though. Why is he remaining so calm? Did he have the armrest and head covered originally?
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I have wondered this too. My guess is, he was uncovered by Border Patrol officers, and then asked to sit still so they could get a photo. -rc
I find myself wondering:
Is he any relation to one Horace Slughorn?
We covered this in geography. Enrique is from Zacatecas. He has a wife and two young daughters who are frequently ill. Last time, he tried to swim across the polluted Rio Grande at night.
Enrique sliced off the top of the leather seat and wriggled inside the cushion while his friend drove the car. He almost suffocated. He was caught at the San Ysidro crossing.
And yes, ‘Bergman’, he does bear an extraordinary resemblance, doesn’t he? People-who-can-turn-into-armchairs-and-carseats-unite!
Found this by chance and now use it as part of my unit at school on migration. [I am a geography teacher.]
This guy…We learned about him in geography, but how did he fit? And did anyone fall for the disguise and sit on him? He must have been pretty desperate. I feel sorry for him. 🙁
I toured the Checkpoint Charlie Museum in Berlin quite a while back. Some people were successful in escaping East Germany by hiding in a car seat. They were smaller and covered up quite a bit better than this.
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I’d guess Canchola was much better covered up during the attempted crossing, and was uncovered by Border Patrol for the photographs, which were no doubt meant for training and/or evidence. -rc