Valentines Day road trip

[TexPamp 0]

Sweety and I took a little road trip from El Paso (where we live) to Carlsbad Caverns. It was a great start to the day and after a bit of driving, in the middle of nowhere there is a Border Patrol Inspection Station. There are several of these set up inside the United States away from border areas as a secondary method of catching illegal aliens and drugs smugglers.

Not a very long line, we pull up and roll down the window. We are asked where we are from and we both say El Paso but soon after he asks for our nationalites. He asks to see Sweety's passport and notices the K-1 Visa is expired and lets us know about it (how nice). I explain we have filed for Adjustment of Status already and that the case is still pending.

He then asks to see the Notice of Action and we show him a copy. I had a problem once at the actual U.S./Mex border a few years ago involving a Mexican National so I understand the sensitivities at these inspection stations. I tell the inspector that it is only a copy and I even used Word to watermark the copy with the word COPY on it. It seems to be satisfactory as he let us pass.

For any one traveling from ANY border area in the USA or even to and from a border area I hope you find this information useful in aiding you to be prepared.

NOTE: This is an interior inspection station, NOT and international crossing or Point of Entry. It is strictly about traveling within the United States from one location in the USA to another.

The trip was a great getaway. I have been to Carlsbad Caverns several times, the last time being almost 20 years ago but this was Sweety's first time. We arrived after 2pm so the natural entrance was closed so we had to take the elevator down for our tour which is disappointing because the natural entrance is spectacular and a much longer tour so for anyone inspired to go see the caverns be sure to arrive before 2pm.

TexPamp

[Don José 2]

Sweety and I took a little road trip from El Paso (where we live) to Carlsbad Caverns. It was a great start to the day and after a bit of driving, in the middle of nowhere there is a Border Patrol Inspection Station. There are several of these set up inside the United States away from border areas as a secondary method of catching illegal aliens and drugs smugglers.

Not a very long line, we pull up and roll down the window. We are asked where we are from and we both say El Paso but soon after he asks for our nationalites. He asks to see Sweety's passport and notices the K-1 Visa is expired and lets us know about it (how nice). I explain we have filed for Adjustment of Status already and that the case is still pending.

He then asks to see the Notice of Action and we show him a copy. I had a problem once at the actual U.S./Mex border a few years ago involving a Mexican National so I understand the sensitivities at these inspection stations. I tell the inspector that it is only a copy and I even used Word to watermark the copy with the word COPY on it. It seems to be satisfactory as he let us pass.

For any one traveling from ANY border area in the USA or even to and from a border area I hope you find this information useful in aiding you to be prepared.

NOTE: This is an interior inspection station, NOT and international crossing or Point of Entry. It is strictly about traveling within the United States from one location in the USA to another.

The trip was a great getaway. I have been to Carlsbad Caverns several times, the last time being almost 20 years ago but this was Sweety's first time. We arrived after 2pm so the natural entrance was closed so we had to take the elevator down for our tour which is disappointing because the natural entrance is spectacular and a much longer tour so for anyone inspired to go see the caverns be sure to arrive before 2pm.

TexPamp

Are you talking about a checkpoint on the 180? There's another checkpoint on I-10 just outside El Paso but the officers here are actually very nice, even to Hispanic looking Americans!

[Señor Bonito 2]

When we were driving from Southern California to Houston in March of 06, we made a side trip to the Carlsbad Taverns National Park after spending the night in El Paso. We toured the main section of the cave through the Big Room self guided tour. It was quite impressive but we did not see any of the half million bats that are legendary. The rangers say that at that time of the year when we were there, the bats were still in Mexico where they migrated during late fall and will fly back to Carlsbad around April.

[Jasman0717 9]

They have a check point on the I-5 coming up from San Diego. I have never seen anyone actually pulled out of line but I guess they do it.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I saw Carlsbad Caverns as a kid, and the memory is still there about how spectacular that place is. I spent some time at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, and one way to pass the weekend was to head toward Shenandoah Valley and check out the caves there.

[edp333 9]

There is a thread in the AOS forum where a K1 visa holder who was out of status was detained in Texas: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...178723&st=0

[Señor Bonito 2]

When we were driving from Southern California to Houston in March of 06, we made a side trip to the Carlsbad Taverns National Park after spending the night in El Paso. We toured the main section of the cave through the Big Room self guided tour. It was quite impressive but we did not see any of the half million bats that are legendary. The rangers say that at that time of the year when we were there, the bats were still in Mexico where they migrated during late fall and will fly back to Carlsbad around April.

Pardon me for the slip! My fingers meant to type Caverns, but my mind was probably still in that tavern where we had happy hours earlier.

[angela920 0]

hmmm... I'm surprised about that.. do they have rights to ask anybody's nationality?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

hmmm... I'm surprised about that.. do they have rights to ask anybody's nationality?

Maybe not:

So much so that local attorney Carolyn de Roos recently asked three Seattle lawyers to come speak at two meetings about residents' rights and legal options.

Their advice: Don't answer any questions.

Because island residents who board domestic ferries don't cross an international border, they "have a right not to reveal anything about their legal status," said Matt Adams, an attorney with the Seattle-based Northwest Immigrant Rights Project and a member of the ACLU.

"Once they're inside the country, Immigration doesn't have the right to detain someone without reasonable suspicion," Adams said. And ethnic background, skin color or language don't meet that threshold.

But if someone admits to being in the country illegally, Border Patrol can arrest the person.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/22/us-bo...patrol-goe.html