"Go to Mexico"

Small throwaway line that bugs me. Mainly, she's a 17-year-old white American girl, all things that might make her a target abroad. And she's your granddaughter. Why on earth would you encourage her to run off to Mexico? Or did she mean with a group of friends a bit down the road, like in summer? A bit of context would've been nice. Can only think Laurie says it as a means to get Allyson far away from Michael on the 40th anniversary, just in case, but still. Send her to Canada. Though I guess easier to picture Michael there than in Mexico. But still. Why encourage her to go somewhere that's known to be dangerous?