After weeks of urging Americans to acquire a REAL ID to fly or enter federal buildings, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that the federal government will allow those without a Real ID to board planes.
REAL ID was approved in 2005, four years after the 9/11 attacks, although it has never been put into effect. The Trump administration has said it would take effect Wednesday, according to Fox News.
The impact on travelers would be that only state ID cards, such as drivers’ licenses, that are REAL ID compliant would be accepted for domestic air travel.
TSA senior official Adam Stahl said REAL ID “bolsters safety by making fraudulent IDs harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists.”
On Tuesday, Noem said the federal government will not be enforcing the ban on travel at this time, according to ABC.
Travelers with something less than a REAL ID “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,” Noem said.
“But people will be allowed to fly,” she said. “We will make sure it’s as seamless as possible.”
TSA representative Daniel Velez said travelers without a REAL ID should be prepared for extra time getting through security, according to Axios.
“We strongly encourage passengers without a REAL ID compliant ID to arrive to the airport earlier than usual … up to an hour earlier than their normal time,” he said.
Should Congress ban any form of national ID?
“We will be proactive and identify passengers without a REAL ID compliant ID and possibly direct them into another area,” Velez said. “We’ve planned accordingly to ensure no impact to wait times or TSA screening operations, bottom line … we are prepared for May 7.”
In 2011, Republican members of Congress said implementing REAL ID was essential, according to a news release.
“In July of 2004, the bipartisan and independent 9/11 Commission issued a report warning that ‘for terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons.’ That’s why Congress, with the support of then-Senator Barack Obama, acted quickly to pass REAL ID, recognizing the legitimate risk to national security created by allowing terrorists to use fake information to obtain driver’s licenses and state-issued identification cards,” Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California said.
“The Real ID Act was born out of recommendations by the 9/11 commission as a necessary component to keeping America safe,” former Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin wrote in a 2013 Op-Ed in Roll Call.
“The 9/11 commission provided a full report on gaps in our national security. The commission parsed no words, stating, ‘For terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons,’” he wrote.
A Department of Homeland Security memo offered a similar rationale for implementing REAL ID, with a focus on illegal immigrants instead of terrorists, according to Fox News.
“Under Biden, illegal aliens used non-compliant IDs from sanctuary cities to board flights, but REAL ID’s higher security standards make it nearly impossible to forge legitimate documents, ensuring only verified travelers can fly,” the memo said.
“This closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks.”
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
