Crossing the border in Laredo, TX...?

[angl32402]

Oh wow, hearing some of these stories has m kindof scared about going across the boarder in Nov. My husband, our daughter and I are moving to Guanajuato. My husband is a diabetic and I have asthma. Any advise?

[doctorjef]

IMO moving to Mexico at this particular point in time is sheer madness. The country is in the grip of an anarchic war mounted by well-financed and ruthless drug gangs and the Mexican state and federal governments have absolutely not been able to prevail against these thugs. The situation is deteriorating rather than improving.

[Bowie]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

IMO moving to Mexico at this particular point in time is sheer madness. The country is in the grip of an anarchic war mounted by well-financed and ruthless drug gangs and the Mexican state and federal governments have absolutely not been able to prevail against these thugs. The situation is deteriorating rather than improving.

I disagree. Here in south Texas, we get a lot of news from the interior of Mexico and a lot of anecdotal information from folks who live there part-time or travel there regularly. There are areas of the country that are best avoided, but the whole country is not on the brink of collapse.

The US State Department Travel Advisory for Mexico is a good, authoritative source of info:

THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: Violence by criminal elements affects many parts of the country, including urban and rural areas. Visitors to the U.S.-Mexico border region, including cities such as Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Nogales, and Matamoros should remain alert and be aware of their surroundings at all times. In its efforts to combat violence, the Government of Mexico has deployed military troops to various parts of the country. Military checkpoints increased in border areas in early 2008. U.S. citizens are advised to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways. Sporadic outbursts of politically motivated violence occur from time to time in certain areas of the country, particularly in the southern states of Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website. Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the current Worldwide Caution, can also be found at that site.

Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s information on A Safe Trip Abroad.

[ymmud123]

All that you have to do is to watch some news to see about the drug wars going on in Mexico!
I would not cross the border for any reason.
What alot of Americans do not realize is the fact that when they go into Mexice, they are in a different country. They do not have access to any help from the USA other than the embassy if they should get into trouble.

[michelledavis_herrera]

Originally Posted by Texaswoman

White woman, six month old baby, and hispanic fiance traveling to mexico in december. dont have passport yet. going through the laredo-nuevo laredo border. any help, or sugestions?

I suggest you get your passports first and make sure you have your birth certificates.I have been there before several times and so far no problems.I am going again to meet my husband on Nov.11th 2009.Just don't talk to any strangers.You also need your title to your vehicle or papers where you purchased it if still paying payments.Enter in the morning,if you have only personal items you don't need to declare so just stay to the left and take first left and follow signs to permits.If entering bridge 2,Good luck!!

[Mr. Solis]

Originally Posted by Texaswoman

Well, we are going to Queretaro, Queretaro. Its the main city with in the city itself. Its about 3 hours North West of Mexico City. Im actually really excited to go, just not sure if ill have my passport by then. With the new baby and all, I dont seem to have time to go through the process of getting one. I have A LOT of hispanic friends, and they have told me not to worry about traveling through laredo. And you know what, I believe them. I dont really have that much to be scared about. Im with a Mexico native, and hes been back and forth a million times. I think that my babies grandmother on his side deserves a chance to see her grandson too. Not just my family can enjoy this little creature god has created. I hate to say, because of the comments that i might get, but I think that its just the "white in us" that has moderized us to think a certain way. People dont realize that that country is sufforing terribly and needs OUR HELP. But i guess that the "whites" are to stuck up to do anything about it themselves. (not speaking for the government ofcourse) Well, now look what ive done. Started a controversy. Lets just open our eyes and realize that maybe we are just as bad as everyone else in the world. Everyone puts their pats on one leg at a time, just like you.

you'll be fine, my wife and my suegra are going to Reynosa this Saturday to hang out with my sister in law and her 15 year old daughter....so thats 4 mexican ladies hanging out, with no weapons to fend off all the horrible drug dealer/kidnappers/rapists!! What will they do.

Despite all the horriffic news, you probably won't see any of it personally, cuz the news just reports the bad news now a days. In my town every day on the news there is murders, home invasions, drug raids/arrests, everything, but thats like 1% of what went on that day, 99% of what happned was ordinary average stuff that doesnt make the news, but still exists.

The day you drive through Nuevo Laredo, you'll be 1 of hundreds of SUV's going through town, and many will be driven by White girls, yea Monterey is mostly white Mexicans and Monterey citizens drive through Laredo every single day in SUVs, Mercedes, BMW's, seeing a white girl in an SUV driving through town is an everyday thing, many times a day...........but all these horror stories are pretty entertaining.

Go google some scary story up, watch all the cartels leaving headless bodies on the side of the road in the news, and count all the murders.....but realize this is 1% or less of the good life going on there in Nuevo Laredo and the entire Mexico.

Kind of like the USA, news is full of mass murders, dead bodies being found in houses, kidnappings, rapes, bank robberies, stalkings, assaults, drug deals gone bad, have you ever seen cops?............but we are safe aren't we..........despite all the bad news reports that influence are opinions more and more