[wolfrom]

Maybe it's because I'm Canadian, but I've never been checked on my way out of the US. My first thought on this was to enter Canada and go home from there (detouring around the US on your return flight).

I've actually called US Customs and Immigration before to discuss visas and status. As you're not identifying yourself in the call, you might be able to get a feel for whether or not you would have trouble leaving the country and then getting sponsored.

[lutorm]

Being Swedish, I've always had to surrender my I-94 upon leaving, though that's always been by air (including at SFO). (And there's always a warning on it that says essentially that "if you fail to surrender the I-94 we will think that you've remained illegally".)

[abhijitr]

AFAIK, they don't take your I-94 if you're traveling to Canada or Mexico for under 30 days.