@John ******

You said your wife was "never checked". I was clarifying that *nobody* leaving the US on foot is checked. To ensure that readers here don't think your wife's experience was unique.

The US has always had a huge number of immigrants. There's even a statue as a reminder.

@Mike ******

Illegals don't get the benefits you mention, as a rule.

@John ******

there is no mechanism for foreigners leaving the US on foot to register their departure with Immigration.

@John ******

never checked for what?

@John ******

There is no mechanism for foreigners leaving the US by land to register with Immigration, so overstay is common. But to get a "shopping visa" is not easy, and you have to prove you have money.

Also, there are checkpoints north of the border that someone with a shopping visa has to pass, and if they are caught straying too far from the border, they lose their visa.

@Ronnie *********

From the linked article: "In FY23, CBP recorded more than 2.4 million encounters at the Southwest border and more than 3.2 million encounters nationwide." Encounters are the number of illegals caught by Border Patrol.

@Ronnie *********

You seem uninformed about illegal immigration. Did you know that the Border Patrol under Biden catch a lot more illegals than under Trump?

@John ******

Lots of Mexicans living near the border get shopping visas to go into the US.

@Mike ******

who?