Travelling within the US with an expired visa

[Leigh Ann 8]

Eric Balderas the 19 year old Harvard student / illegal alien was caught in this way actually.

Wasn't his passport expired, not just a visa? I could be remembering incorrectly, but I think that was the issue.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Wasn't his passport expired, not just a visa? I could be remembering incorrectly, but I think that was the issue.

No. In fact, he had been traveling in the US using his Mexican passport for ID, but he lost his passport and tried to board a plane from San Antonio to Boston using a consular card from the Mexican government and his university ID card. Airport security called immigration officials.

[Leigh Ann 8]

No. In fact, he had been traveling in the US using his Mexican passport for ID, but he lost his passport and tried to board a plane from San Antonio to Boston using a consular card from the Mexican government and his university ID card. Airport security called immigration officials.

Oh, that's right. My bad.

[TBoneTX 43,059]

The short ones usually it goes like this:

*handing over passport*

1. Where I am going.

Response (brightly): "Why, anywhere I want, of course. (Big grin) Isn't that the greatest thing about our country?"

2. Why was I going there, and if not where I live, how long will I be there and what will I do there (and with whom).

(Surprised, with raised eyebrows) "Excuse me, please?! I'm surprised that you would ask such personal questions!"

3. Where I have been.

4. Why was I there, and if not where I live, how long was I there and what did I do there (and with whom).

5. Where I live.

6. How long I have lived there. (Relevant for the driving ones, given my out of state license/license plate.)

(No, it's not relevant.) "I wish to be on my way now, sir; am I free to go?"

7. Did I make any side trips to Mexico?

(Brightly) "I'm sure you agree that, until the Supreme Court rules otherwise, I'm free as a U.S. citizen to travel anywhere I wish to, sir -- isn't that right?"

8. Please pull to the side and step into our office.

(Again, brightly) "Before that, sir, I need your complete name & badge number, and a satisfactory explanation of how your questioning and treatment of me comport with the second sentence of the second of the CBP Core Values. If you're unable to answer to my satisfaction, I'll need the complete name, badge number, & permanent station address of your supervisor, and the name and address of the Chief Patrol Agent of this sector."

This sort of ####### happens routinely at the CBP checkpoint south of Alpine, TX. Happily, the checkpoint north of Laredo is much more professional -- they check one's citizenship only.

[CaptainPenguin 5]

Airport security called immigration officials.

Which in fact is illegal on its own, it is totally outside of the jurisdiction of any shoe scanning zombies.

All you need is a picture ID for a safe trip, but according to the law you do not even need that ! If you are willing to submit yourself for a voluntary pat down you do not even need to show ID, and they cannon require you to.

Airport security called immigration officials.

Which in fact is illegal on its own, it is totally outside of the jurisdiction of any shoe scanning zombies.

All you need is a picture ID for a safe trip, but according to the law you do not even need that ! If you are willing to submit yourself for a voluntary pat down you do not even need to show ID, and they cannon require you to.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

Which in fact is illegal on its own, it is totally outside of the jurisdiction of any shoe scanning zombies.

All you need is a picture ID for a safe trip, but according to the law you do not even need that ! If you are willing to submit yourself for a voluntary pat down you do not even need to show ID, and they cannon require you to.

It may be outside their jurisdiction to enforce immigration law, but it's not outside their jurisdiction to call in the agency which enforces that law. In fact, I don't think TSA's authority goes beyond screening and apprehension. They always hand people over to another agency for investigation and prosecution.

I don't know whether or not an ID is required to travel. I do know that some airlines will flat out refuse to issue a boarding pass to someone who doesn't have a government issued picture ID. Without a boarding pass, you won't be allowed through the security checkpoint nor allowed to board the plane.

[ryna 132]

Maybe it's because I've lived my entire life on the East Coast but are these CBP checkpoints inside the USA? I have never heard of such a thing. Well, I have once - when CBP set up a checkpoint back in the early 80's between the mainland and the Florida Keys, making citizens/residents "clear customs and immigration" to go from Monroe County to Dade County, and vice versa, but that was quickly shut down after the local governments complained.

How, exactly, is a US citizen supposed to prove citizenship at these [internal(?)] checkpoints? There is no requirement that a U.S. citizen even have a passport and, even though I do, I have never carried it on me within the US unless I'm headed to or from the airport on an international flight.

[TBoneTX 43,059]

are these CBP checkpoints inside the USA?

Si, man (sigh, man) -- within the approximate 100-mile radius of both borders, known as the "De-Constitutionalized Zone."

How, exactly, is a US citizen supposed to prove citizenship at these [internal(?)] checkpoints?

A state driver's license will usually work, in addition to not looking nervous and speaking good English.

In Texas, for example, the CBP checkpoint on U.S. Hwy. 83 north of Laredo is staffed by professional-demeanored CBP agents who verify citizenship only. Conversely, the checkpoint south of Alpine is staffed by intrusive puercos who insist on knowing "where you've been," "where you're going," "have you been to Mexico," and "what are you doing." If I'm ever subjected to that again, I'm taking names & badge numbers.

If you haven't clicked the link to the article from The Big Bend Gazette (post from me of July 19, 10:51a), please do; it's truly excellent, si man.

[ryna 132]

This really is news to me! I've never really traveled much, by car or otherwise, in any of the border states, North or South. I guess I missed the repeal of the 4th Amendment...

When I was in Colombia a while back, I got asked for my "papeles" just for being in the bus station (or so it seemed to me). Of course, I complied (once my fiancee managed to get it through to me that Sr. Policia had asked me for my papers because it went right over my English-speaking head.. )

Anyhow, afterward in a discussion, it took her a good half an hour to convince me that this was normal there, especially for men, that he didn't necessarily think I had done anything wrong and they could ask for them simply because it was Tuesday and I was wearing a blue shirt (i.e., for any reason at all.) And, I told her that in the U.S. they needed probable cause of involvement in something illegal to do so and if they asked for your papers here, it's because they already suspect you are involved in something illegal (generally speaking.)

I guess I was wrong...