Amtrak? Flight?

So my gf and I are planning on heading up to the Bay Area to visit a college open house. We are going to transfer this year from community college and this school is one of our top choices.

The problem is that we live in southern California, and can't drive up. So we have basically two choices: flying or a train. The question here is how safe is it for me and my gf to get up there using either method.

When it comes to Amtrak, my gf thinks that if we don't go coach but rather a class above coach, then no one will ask for ID. I'm unsure about that, because I don't like speculating. On a flight, she has her Mexican passport and her International Student ID card to use as identification, but I worry about the possibility of ICE doing a sweep or something like that.

Any knowledge, advice, tips etc?

Greatly appreciated and thank you!

I think its a very bad ideal to fly, I heard that getting through TSA is now a headache for U.S citizens and Legal residence, If they are giving them a hard time what are they going to do with us..

Sorry don't know nothing about Amtrak.

AMTRAK is the safe way to go South or North Cali.
They do not check your ID or anything like that
Even if they do, you can use STUDENT ID ..

I hope that helps.
GOOD LUCK!

^Whoa, whoaaaa

I'm not so sure about that... I would wait for more feedback posts from other knowledgeable members, before making any type of risky decision.

If you are within 100 (or is it 150??) miles of the EITHER (Canada & Mexico) border ICE does sweeps of buses and trains. I have heard of more than a few people being caught this way.

IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO TAKE AMTRAK OR BUSES NEAR THE BORDER.

As for flying they're supposed to have clamped down in the recent months. More than one member on DAP has had problems that could have gone very very wrong in the recent months.

I would say you driving with her in the passenger seat are the safest bet once you get past the BP checkpoints. Which is something you will have to figure out out to get past them. However, if you get pulled over anytime after that for speeding or something, relax your girl friend will be fine. They usually only check the ID of the driver unless you act weird.

Sorry to lay out the bad news.

I live in the bay~ So just ask me about the college or the area and I can tell you all about it Seriously, I lived here for 10 years, since I was 6th grade, know it like the back of my hand.

As for the train, California is very safe but like other members said it depends how close you are to the border. I don't think you will have problem coming up but if you are taking the train down really really south of socal past L.A., maybe you might get checked.

If you are worried just take the Vietnamese bus. My friends who are legal college students going to U.C. la or Irvine take it all the time without being checked or anything. Plus it's cheaper. Did I mention the free Vietnamese sandwich? those things are awesome.

well its a risk either way especially in ICE infested california.
damn this question is hard to answer but I've flown to california and haven't
had any problems but then again i have a drivers license.

see the key to it is just be relaxed and not draw attention. dress in a way that isnt traditional to what would be streotype of an illegal alien sad to say it but looking mexican alone is the standard by which ICE tends to profile. so try to make yourself look preppy as its associated with white people. so dressing up preppy would be good idea i know it sounds silly and kinda racist in my part but thats how it is. Speak only english and act as confident as you can and that will draw less suspicion and attention of your legal status. if you choose to fly
don't worry if you see Customs Border Protection they're everywhere around the airport just try not to make eye contact but stay relaxed and confident as if you belong here you know what i mean. if you and her have a college id that should be enough id for TSA the worst that could occur is going through secondary inspection.

I my opinion airport is safer for me as weird and crazy as it may sound because CBP dosnt really expect Undocumented people to fly around due to all the beefed up security .(and i know someone gonna try and correct me)
but i've flown around a few times about 10 months ago i lost my drivers license and had to use my High School id from like 2 years ago and they didnt make a big deal just told them my drivers license got lost and they let me through.
but then again its up to you as what risk you want to take.

Thanks all.

If it helps, we live in L.A.

Anyone else know anything or have any advice?

we posted a topic about this awhile back, but to be totally honest the greyhound is ur best bet, the LA greyhound station will not check your ID,b/c i have gone their a couple times, coming from Nor Cal and when you check-in, they just check your ticket, and when you get into the bus they do the same plus open up ur luggage to check it.

*you might want to buy you're ticket at a smaller city, cuz im not sure if you buy it their, they would actually check ID. cuz i usually buy my tickets in smaller city in nor cal, and they don't ask for ID just my name. go online, to plan out the route.

Greyhounda and Amtrak ARE NOT SAFE within a 100 miles NEAR EITHER BORDER!


Please, please, believe me on this.

As for the airport, talk to optimstindenial and I think ECW and they can tell you how things have changed in the last few months.