Please help me to help...

Hello everyone. Here is my situation. I want to help a young lady get from El Paso, TX to Los Angeles, CA to reunite her with her now dying father. I met her through our church, and know for a fact this young lady is someone who deserves a helping hand. Please help me help her.

Here is what I have found so far from my research. There are approx. 8+ routes leading out of El Paso, TX in various directions and all have BP checkpoints.

1. What are the hours of operation for checkpoints? In the last month that I have been actively evaluating all the possible routes out of El Paso, TX, the checkpoints are always up and operational. Some people say they occasionally shut them down during lunch breaks and or shift changes. If this is true, does anyone know what times?

2. Assuming I attempt to drive her myself through one of these checkpoints, is it true that weekends are better days to drive through with less hassle?

3. Are driving through checkpoints better to do so in the day, evening, midnight, or very early morning hours?

4. Do BP agents actually question passengers in vehicle if I (the driver) am declaring myself US Citizen with a valid Drivers License and ID? I really dont have what is known as a typical stereotype hispanic appearance. I dont have an accent and speak perfect english. I also am very clean cut and dress conservative/casual. For example, I have been told I look alot like Joey from the TV show Friends. Please dont think I say this to make this about me, I just want to provide you with somewhat of a visual of me so that you could get a better feel for my appearance and know how I might be percieved by a BP agent. So once again, can they question my passengers and demand an ID? Or better yet, can they or do they ask ALL passengers, or have the right to only question selected ones? I plan on taking a mix of adults and kids in a minivan, all of which will be US citizens with the exception of this young lady.

5. I noticed that all checkpoints have a line full of what seem to be cameras a few yards before the actual area where the agent approaches the car. Does anyone know if these are some sort of xray or heat sensing units to detect hidden passengers? Or are they just plain ole cameras?

6. Any other websites you all might know of that could have info relating to this?

Thanks to everyone in advance for your help and assistance with this. God bless you all who like this young lady are having to face these hardships. I know this is not what God had intended for his children, but I am certain that sooner or later government rule will be abolished, and ALL of Gods children will have equal access to the Earth He provided for us to share amongst ourselves as was His intent.

I don't know anything to your questions but, first of all, who is the illegal here? You or the lady there?

I have gone through El Paso checkpoint last year on July 4 on Grey Hound. The BC officers asked all of the passengers in the bus for identification documents, especially Mexican. I got lucky and got through with expired I-94.
Can you, from El Paso, go to Austin, and go up north to Colorado and from there to CA? I have been on those route and there was no checkpoint.
It will be definitely have many risks. Be real careful.

Pygmalion... I am a US citizen, but she is the one who is not. She is the one I am attempting to help.

Vinter... I would not mind at all going in the opposite direction to Austin and then heading up north and proceeding back West to Los Angeles. However though, it appears all routes leading out of El Paso have these checkpoints. The I-10 East to Austin from El Paso has a checkpoint right before Sierra Blanca.

As for the bus transportation system, yeah I too have heard they ask all passengers for ID. Although, then again I have heard numerous times (including from my Mother) that they don't even stop the bus at the checkpoints. I guess it's at the discretion of the BP Officers on duty.

That's why I assume that right before the end of shift is when the BP Officers might not be so eager to search and request ID's being that they would not want to get caught up with overtime having to fill out reports.

But what time is their usual shift change?

Thanks for your help guys.

Have somebody drive in front of you and use your cellphones.

there is a checkpoint i believe at marfa going that way my friend used to work at bp and told me, are u from la or el paso? if your legal try crossing a couple times thru it to become familiar with procedures and probably even be cool with the guys there

Oh, how kind you are! This is what our society need. I don't have anything to provide you, but I do want to say thank you!

Please give my greeting to her and her family. As well as you and your family. God bless you all!

does she have a texas ID? Cali ID? If so, this may be enough to get her through w/o a liscence and claim she doesn't drive (i think I read you can fly this way here in the forums). I'd try an experiment. Take someone who's legal w/nothing else but an ID ), if you can both get past, just go back and take the girl/lady w/you doing the same thing. If they realize it's the same car or truck, just say it was a last minute decision to have someone else join/switch on the trip. To prevent any of this, switch cars or get a rental. With the experiment, I'd take the most mexican looking fellow you can find and not provide any ID until requested to do so (and when asked to provide one, inquire which one: "texas ID is fine?" ,"license."?) This way you also know what works.

Does she have any kind of mexican ID's? Valid border crosser (laser) visa (unlikely seeing how you're here)? She can get a permit for travel if this is the case. If there's a valid visa, she can travel through mexico and cross over in cali.

How good is her english? Unfortunately this, and keeping a straight face amidst her problems will be important, so will explaining her reason for traveling. She could claim to be mute if all else fails....

Did I read this was somehow involved w/the church? Sorry about the "...thou shalt not lie..." bit.

PLz keep us updated!

hey welcome!!
if you have any questions about what you can do for the dream act, dont be afraid to ask!
make sure you stick around! ..