Homeland Security Chief Says US Travelers With No REAL ID Can Fly For Now, But With Likely Extra Steps

Travelers who aren’t REAL ID compliant by the upcoming deadline this week will still be able to fly but should be prepared for extra scrutiny, the head of Homeland Security said Tuesday.

Kristi Noem told a congressional panel that 81% of travelers already have IDs that comply with the REAL ID requirements. She said security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification when the deadline hits Wednesday.

Those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law “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.”

Across the country, Department of Motor Vehicle offices extended their hours to help meet the demand. But despite that, some people waited for hours Tuesday to get a REAL ID ahead of the long-delayed deadline.

Renel Leggett, a college student from West Chester, Pennsylvania, spent hours getting her REAL ID and was not happy about it.

“I’ve been out here for three hours to get one ID when I’ve already had one that should have lasted me until about 2029,” Leggett said.

“You have to do it. But it feels like a waste of time,” she said.

REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that Homeland Security says is a more secure form of identification. It was a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005.

The commission recommended the government set security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and IDs. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008. But implementation has been repeatedly delayed.

Besides needing a REAL ID to fly domestically, people will also need one to access certain federal buildings and facilities.

In recent weeks, Noem has been warning the American public about the upcoming deadline. In a television ad put out by Homeland Security, she warned that these IDs were needed for air travel and for entering public buildings, adding: “These IDs keep our country safe.”

A REAL ID-compliant driver’s license has a symbol ( in most states, a star ) in the top corner of the card.

At the Driver Services Bureau in Jackson, Mississippi, there were no long lines Tuesday, and people were getting their REAL IDs fairly quickly.

Marion Henderson said before going in that she planned to travel to California, Michigan, Chicago and New York this year and wanted to be prepared.

“Even though I have my license, now that it’s required, I wanted to go ahead and get it done” ahead of the deadline, Henderson said.

https://apnews.com/author/rebecca-santana

Travelore News: Real ID Deadline For Air Travelers Extended By 2 Years

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday the new deadline will be May 7, 2025, allowing Americans more time following delays caused by the COVID pandemic. The old cutoff was slated for May 3, 2023.

Americans wishing to trade their license or ID in for a compliant Real ID, which has a star symbol at the top of the card, must undergo a more stringent ID check during application. According to DHS, security features on Real IDs are designed to prevent counterfeiting and fraud, using documentary evidence and record checks to confirm travelers are who they claim to be. The Real ID will be required by travelers 18 or older to board a plane, enter a federal building or a military base. Passports, military IDs or Global Entry cards also will qualify to pass through airport security.

The Real ID Act was passed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks after several of the hijackers improperly obtained state IDs. All 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and four of five U.S. territories are covered by the REAL ID Act.

Under the law, following the enforcement deadline, federal agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will not accept driver's licenses and identification cards that do not meet REAL ID standards.

Over the past decade, REAL ID enforcement has repeatedly stalled after states failed to comply with the security requirements for issuing the updated driver's licenses. But officials say this time, it's the COVID-19 pandemic that's at fault, preventing Americans from accessing state motor vehicle departments to retrieve the updated identification. According to DHS, Real ID progress over the past two years has been "significantly hindered" by backlogs at state driver's licensing agencies created by the pandemic.

According to a DHS official, states have primary responsibility for increasing the REAL ID adoption rate, which currently stands at 52%, according to state-provided data.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement Monday that the extension "will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card," adding, "DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible."

BY NICOLE SGANGA

US ‘Real ID’ Deadline Is Now May 2023 Because Of COVID-19

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans will have more time to get the Real ID that they will need to board a flight or enter federal facilities.

The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday extended the Real ID deadline until May 3, 2023. The deadline had been Oct. 1, 2021, but it was becoming clear that many people wouldn’t make it, in part because the COVID-19 outbreak has made it harder for states to issue new licenses.

Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 to establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards following a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission.

The updated cards will be required for airport check-in and to enter federal facilities.

People are getting compliant IDs as they renew, but it takes time and the process has been slowed by the pandemic, with many state agencies operating at limited capacity.

DHS says only 43% of all driver’s licenses and identification cards are compliant.

Older IDs will be suitable to allow people to drive, buy liquor or other age-regulated products, and gamble at casinos. Travelers also can use military IDs or passports to access flights and federal facilities.