Do they require a valid driver's license from all passengers when crossing from AZ to CA? (San Diego: credit card, school)

[aegrimm]

We will be traveling into California on Friday with a friend who just informed us that he doesn't have a US Driver's License or Photo ID. (Not sure of the circumstances, I think his ID was stolen/lost?) He (obviously) won't be driving but I've heard that border patrol can get pretty ugly at times and I am concerned because he is Hispanic. Will they give us a hard time? Or are they mroe concerned with illegal plants, etc? What about coming back to AZ from CA? Does anyone know?

[cruitr]

No photo id and he looks Mexican? I wouldn't want to be driving that car.

[10,000Lakes]

We drive from Phoenix-Yuma to San Diego all the time. The line moves pretty well, and we have never been stopped. They ask "where are you coming from" and that was all. I can't say for sure if they'll give him a hard time. Probably not because your crossing two us states not Mexico to US.

[moved]

I wouldn't risk it. You never know.

[Thursday007]

It doesn't take but an hour or so to get a state ID at the license bureau - better safe then sorry even if he lost the first one.

[soymabelen]

I can't advice you because I am a newcomer to California, but it your friend has a school ID card or a picture credit card I would ask him to carry those! Also, if his picture ID was lost or stolen, he must have reported it to the authorities, right? Ask him to bring the report with him. If he doesn't have any of those, I would be concerned.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by soymabelen

I can't advice you because I am a newcomer to California, but it your friend has a school ID card or a picture credit card I would ask him to carry those! Also, if his picture ID was lost or stolen, he must have reported it to the authorities, right? Ask him to bring the report with him. If he doesn't have any of those, I would be concerned.

good point, you would think he would have reported it. I wouldn't even think of crossing anywhere near the CA/AZ bordor if I were Mexican without proper I.d. nor would I want someone in my car that didn't have I.D.

[Blub]

I'm pretty sure that its generally illegal for them to demand that you produce government ID when crossing a US state line, so you can make a big deal of it if you really wanted to. There maybe some exceptions, if they just happen to see in your car that you're doing or carrying things linked to IDs and licenses, like having guns or livestock or if you're driving.... Of course, just because they shouldn't ask you for ID doesn't mean that certain types of law enforcement officers wouldn't try to do so anyway.

[esmith143]

There is a border patrol checkpoint on the 8 going west around Pine Valley. When it's active, they stop all cars and look at passengers. I'm pretty sure they are profiling (they let whites pass without too much trouble, but hispanics may be asked to produce IDs).

If your friend is in the country legally, they may be able to verify his story, pull up his DL on the computer or something like that ... but it will be a hassle, you'll have to wait in the secondary inspection area while they do that.

There's also a checkpoint on the 15 going north just before Temecula, but I haven't seen that one in operation for years.

[Blub]

I think there's also a Homeland Security checkpoint (or used to be) in Imperial County, on 86, just south of junction 78 (back towards Borrego Springs/Julian/San Diego)