What does the border patrol do at the mexican border?

Question

What do they ask for and will they search the inside of my car?

Answer 1

if you are going into mexico, the mexican side has a 'traffic lite' system, you get a green, you go thru. you get a red, it is anywhere from wave thru from them, to questioning to they go thru everything.

if you are going into states, the border gaurds stop and question everybody and depending on  their take on any situation may strip the vehicle, which you have to pay to have put back together,,,, this is extremely rare however.

have fun, always answer politely,

Neil.

Answer 2

It depends on whether you are heading north or south of the border.  If you are heading south through Otay or San Ysidro, there is no border patrol... you just drive on through.  They may check your car but likely won't.  You will need to have your papers in order, including your tourist visa (which you get at Mexican Immigration office at the border) and your Mexican car insurance.  (You can get that either at one of tons of shops at the border or online... just google Mexican car insurance.  We always use Bajabound.com but there are a lot of brokers.)  

The agents do random checks at the border - sometimes you will get a red light and they will have you go into the secondary check area.  You also have to go into the secondary area if you have something to declare before crossing.

Things are different on the way back.  At that point, you go through the US Department of Homeland Security.  They ask you about your citizenship and you have to show papers to back that up - either your passport or your birth certificate and DL.

Border Patrol agents may send you to a secondary check area if they think something about your vehicle seems suspicious.  

That's about all, but feel free to email me if you have more questions... we make the trip pretty often and my husband just got a SENTRI pass to make the crossing easier and quicker.

Answer 3

yup what he said. One thing, my step dad was dumb enough to be wearing a t-shirt with a pot leaf on it when he went trough the border, they stripped his car, gave him a cavity search. He had nothing on him. But the t-shirt made the border cop really mad. So ya, no pot reference clothes.