Mexican amusement park simulates illegal border crossing

PACHUCA DE SOTO, Mexico, June 28 (UPI) -- Operators of a Mexican theme park that simulates the journey of illegal immigrants across the U.S. border said they are aiming to discourage the practice.

The Parque EcoAlberto theme park, about 800 miles from the Mexico-U.S. border in the state of Hidalgo, charges visitors about $20 each to be led by a fake smuggler on a 7-mile "Night Walk" fraught with simulated dangers including barking dogs and fake border patrol officers, NBC News reported Friday.

Park administrator Maribel Garcia told PBS the aim is to discourage illegal border crossing.

"Our objective is to stop the immigration that exists amongst our citizens, principally from the state of Mexico to the [United States]," Garcia said.