# How Hard Is It To Sneak Across The Border The Other Way (US Into Mexico)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586 "2015-04-26T17:31:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/21 "2015-05-05T02:56:38Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The US Protect act of 2003 Authorizes fines and/or imprisonment for up to 30 years for U.S. citizens or residents who engage in illicit sexual conduct abroad. For the purposes of this law, illicit sexual conduct is defined as commercial sex with or sexual abuse of anyone under 18, or any sex with anyone under 16. Right, so sex with people under the age of 18 is perfectly legal both domestically and OS. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/22 "2015-05-05T03:04:52Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > …and I guess aiding certain ‘enemy’ political groups might be another. While you’re referring to it being against US law, it’s also against Mexican law to interfere or promote anything at all about Mexican politics. They’re very, very sensitive about foreign influence. [Standford](http://wais.stanford.edu/Mexico/mexico_foreignerinmexpolitics53002.html) articles should be good enough for a cite. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/23 "2015-05-05T03:16:32Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Right, so sex with people under the age of 18 is perfectly legal both domestically and OS. Yes, normal relations are permitted. I suspect largely because that is the cut off age for the military and you wouldn’t want to kick out an 18 year old sailor in Japan just because he got a girlfriend. You spend a weekend there and all you do is have sex with 16 year olds the feds might suspect money changed hands although I’m guessing gathering evidence against you might be difficult particularly if the country you were in didn’t consider it a crime. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/24 "2015-05-05T05:19:14Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > The Mexican military has a presence on the border. I wouldn’t call it insane though considering the crime and drug lords. I’m sure many in the area would prefer it to be much higher. Well, insanely just being a colorful superlative, not that there is an irrational amount given the situation. What I was kind of getting at is that the Mexican military does more of the interdiction-type jobs that are equivalent to what the Border Patrol does in the US. > [@drewder](#): > > I doubt very much that the US boarder patrol gives two figs for anyone trying to sneak into Mexico. They can hardly be bothered with the folks going the other direction. It’s not as if the drug and people smugglers are going back to Mexico through established border crossings though. The Border Patrol is certainly less interested in people illegally crossing back, but also not completely uninterested. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/25 "2015-05-05T16:35:51Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > While you’re referring to it being against US law, it’s also against Mexican law to interfere or promote anything at all about Mexican politics. They’re very, very sensitive about foreign influence. [Standford](http://wais.stanford.edu/Mexico/mexico_foreignerinmexpolitics53002.html) articles should be good enough for a cite. Wow! I’ve actually been thinking about applying for a job in Mexico (and I’m very interested in Latin American politics), so that’s good to know. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/26 "2015-05-05T16:37:05Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Yes, normal relations are permitted. I suspect largely because that is the cut off age for the military and you wouldn’t want to kick out an 18 year old sailor in Japan just because he got a girlfriend. You spend a weekend there and all you do is have sex with 16 year olds the feds might suspect money changed hands although I’m guessing gathering evidence against you might be difficult particularly if the country you were in didn’t consider it a crime. The PROTECT act has a 4-year age difference clause, so if you’re under 21 you can have sex with 16-year olds, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/27 "2015-05-05T16:40:27Z")
> [@Blake](#): > > Right, so sex with people under the age of 18 is perfectly legal both domestically and OS. I’ve heard conflicting things about whether the cutoff age is 18 or 16. I’d encourage people to play it safe and not have sex with anyone under 18, commercial or not. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2015, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/28 "2015-05-05T16:41:50Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Voila! 😕 I thought we were going to Mexico. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586/29 "2015-05-06T03:54:09Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > Wow! I’ve actually been thinking about applying for a job in Mexico (and I’m very interested in Latin American politics), so that’s good to know. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t have discussions with people, of course, and you won’t be banned from the polls (you can’t vote, of course, and in Mexico they have a national voting ID card anyway). I’ve gone to the polls with my ex-wife, for example. I talk to people about why I favor the PAN. But I don’t go to rallies, write op-eds, or anything of that sort. I shook former-President Fox’s hand at his ranch on Christmas day several years ago! So, no need to be paranoid; just use discretion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-is-it-to-sneak-across-the-border-the-other-way-us-into-mexico/718586.md?page=1)