1. Never Confess to anything.
2. Never tell the police your true identity.
3. Never sign anything in ink.
Yes, I'm being (very) serious...
well i normally dont get involved in discussion like this but, never tell the police you true identity? really. never ever follow this advice. being a police officer myself, if you got no id on you with a picture and i stop you for some minor traffic offense. you give me the im joe smith when youre really bob smith, well then that just went from a traffic violation and possible ticket to you going strait to jail.
never sign anything in ink? really. this sounds like some silly thought process that only a legal signature if its in ink or blood or red ink. a signature is a signature. the cops dont care if you use a lavender crayon.
i go through these forums everyday and enjoy them thoroughly. but i refuse to let some one ask a serious question to be told some jail house lawyer crap.
in regards to the original posters questions about the boarder crossing stuff. yes the dui would considered a criminal record, however there no law that you cant play dumb and going with the assumption they're inquiring about drug and violent offenses. if they find and call you out on it, just tell them it was a traffic offense and you did not realize they were interested in a traffic offense that has already been adjudicated.
never ever lie about who you are because it will always unravel on you and get you in trouble when there is no need to add insult to injury.