Don’t Even Bother With New England

(I manage a tourist center that welcomes people coming into New Mexico. An obviously American tourist comes into the center.)

Tourist: *in broken Spanish* “Excuse me! I think you all forgot something.”

Me: *in English* “Yes, how can I help you?”

Tourist: *more broken Spanish* “Nobody was checking for passports when we crossed the border here.”

Me: “Passports?”

Tourist: “We are in Mexico now, after all.”

Me: “This is New Mexico, sir. You don’t need a passport to–”

Tourist: “What’s to stop illegal immigrants from coming into the United States if they don’t check our passports coming into New Mexico?”

Me: “Sir, New Mexico is part of the United States.”

Tourist: “Now you’re just lying to me.”