A Polish man attempted to enter the United States by hiding under suitcases in a vehicle at the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The man, identified as Elazar Wigdorowitz, had his U.S. visa revoked in 2017 due to his criminal history in Israel.
The Attempted Crossing
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York, Wigdorowitz hid in a rental vehicle driven by Israel Enden, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen. The pair, along with a third individual, flew from Warsaw to Canada in January. On January 8, Enden drove the rental vehicle across the Rainbow Bridge, but when questioned, he failed to provide the rental agreement, prompting a secondary inspection.
During the secondary inspection, officers opened the rear hatch of the vehicle and discovered Wigdorowitz hiding beneath some suitcases. Enden knew that Wigdorowitz was an alien and had not received official authorization to enter the United States.
Reason for Hiding
When questioned, Wigdorowitz told officers that he was hiding because he wanted to visit his rabbi's grave in the United States. However, further investigation revealed that his U.S. visa had been revoked in 2017 due to his criminal history in Israel, which includes convictions for conspiracy to commit a felony, assault, extortion, threats, false imprisonment, and malicious damage to a vehicle. His visa was refused again in 2023 for the same reasons.
Legal Consequences
Both men pleaded guilty to their respective charges. Enden pleaded guilty in April to bringing an alien into the United States and was sentenced to time served. Wigdorowitz pleaded guilty to improper entry by an alien and was also sentenced to time served, the Department of Justice announced on Monday.
Wigdorowitz had attempted to apply for travel authorization three days before the crossing, but his application was denied. The case highlights the lengths some individuals will go to enter the United States despite having their visas revoked.
