Crossing borders

[Guest]

I want to runaway to California but i don't know what the border procedures are.
Ive gone to Washington by car and we didn't go through any border procedures or anything so im just wondering. Ill most likely be walking past the border. Is there a designated walking area? Will there be a bunch of questions and need for I.D? I will be a runaway so i would most likely get in trouble. To make it short...how would i WALK past the California border without getting questioned and watched? Btw im in Oregon

[ccsmod8]

Re: Crossing borders

Hello,

We thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Switchboard for support. It is good to see that you are taking the necessary steps by writing to be sure about your options. Since we are central to Chicago but national in scope, we are aware of general laws and certain procedures regarding runaways. However, we are not certain about the procedures that govern most states if you are stopped by the authorities when entering that state. However, going to another state is not the same as crossing into another country. States are connected in different ways. It is not a matter of crossing a border.

We imagine there are lots of expectations when it comes to planning when you are traveling. The distance of walking might be another issue. How do you plan to walk from Oregon to California? Do you plan on taking documentation to prove who you are if you were going that far? It is different if you are coming or going from Canada or Mexico. If you were driving to another state, there is the possibility of paying a toll but walking into that state is going to be a matter of simply getting there. We are mainly concerned with your safety or whether you feel walking is best option.

We are not in the position to tell you what to do. Your safety is our number one priority. We imagine that walking alongside the highway (if that is safe) or entering a city once you see one of those "welcome To" signs is enough proof that you have reached that city. We imagine it might be a matter of getting approached at anytime by the police and that it might be helpful to have ID. They might ask you a lot of questions if you did not have ID but if you are not breaking any laws, it is not a guarantee that the police will intervene. Therefore, if your parents file you as a runaway, the police have every reason to intervene. Do you think your parents will call you in as a runaway?

Running away is not illegal. However, you do get a status offense. The info is logged in the police computer where you are tracked. If you get caught, the police can hold you and find ways to get you home. Do you know what your ultimate plan is going to be and how you intend to survive the trip and maintain while you are there? If you want to reach out directly over the phone, we hope you can give us a call at 1800RUNAWAY. We are 24 hours, confidential and anonymous. We want to hear from you because we want to support you more and provide a listening ear. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: Crossing borders

I do not know if i should take documentation because i do not want to be returned home. BUt i will take some just incase. As for the walking, i searched on google maps and it gave me a route, but i had a question about that. On the route they gave me, there were highways and freeways. I dont think i can walk on highways or freeways can i? And walking on them would be dangerous and obvious attention to cops which im trying to avoid so im thinking about taking streets instead. But that is going to take even longer, and id have nowhere to stay at nights. This is really hard and i dont know how to do this but i need info fast. Please help me.
I need simple things. Some way to travel, and somewhere to stay. Please give very very extent and detailed information on how i can travel, as i need this information very badly and very soon. Thanks

[ccsmod6]

Re: Crossing borders

Thanks for getting back in touch with the National Runaway Switchboard. This must be a very difficult decision but it seems that you are taking your time and gathering as much information as possible before taking any action. Some shelters do require documentation in order to stay overnight. In general, photo identification is needed to stay at a shelter but this policy can vary across shelters. Walking across highways and freeways can be quite dangerous and may be against the law in some states. If you like for us to locate a shelter for you to stay at, we can provide you with better assistance if you give us a call at 1800RUNAWAY toll free. Unfortunately we cannot give advice as to what’s the best way to travel but we can locate a safe place for you to stay.

We would really like to hear from you and it may be easier to provide additional assistance over the phone. We hope the information provided helps out. Again we are 24/7. We wish you the Best of Luck!

~NRS