Originally Posted by
fairviewroad
I'm just pointing out that the idea that you need ID to legally leave the country is a fallacy.
My comment was not directed at the facts of your statement, but about the fact distinctions have to be made about which modes of transborder crossing we're talking about.
The problem is that when you leave this country, you are entering another country, which generally requires documentation to do so. That is not the fault of the United States government, as such.
Of course, but let's back up to the moment while both feet are on U.S. soil ...
However, this is not universally true as anyone who's crossed into Mexico knows. If you want to return to the US, you will need ID.
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Of course. I don't think anyone is challenging that here.
But the United States is not a prison. You are free to leave at anytime...no ID required.
By commerical air, ID is now (or will finally be) mandatory for travel even to US protectorates. Another proposal is to deny exit to those with outstanding child support payments. Several recent threads detail the hows and whys of this proposal. Not a de facto prison, but where do the stipulations stop?
To suggest that one is free to leave at
anytime is just not the case.