DHS still wants to have more secure and validated IDs but states aren't issuing them as default so a lot of people take the easier licensing/ID option when they renew. My state, NC, doesn't issue them as default or even really push them at all. So the problem at the federal level is you have states and people not getting the IDs so making the transition to requiring REAL ID for flights etc would be potentially very disruptive.
I mean, I get that DHS still wants it, but... Why?
It might have made sense in 2005 with the post-2001 political climate, but it's 20 years later. We've been fine with the current IDs for so long, and the climate is not anywhere near the same now as it was then with relation to security theater.
Well at this point AFAIK it's a legal requirement that they do it. To fully cancel it would require action by congress to remove the program all together, I'm willing to bet (but not willing to find the language) that DHS can extend implementation but not cancel it.
apparently the only way to cancel it is to refuse to use it, en masse, its the low adoption rate by end user that keeps the deadline being kicked down the road
While I wouldn't go that far, I definitely support Americans who wish to utilize their unique free speech and freedom for this cause. Example: https://i.imgur.com/C12Cw06.jpg
(Ignore the reply tweet, it's an obvious Russian troll)
I have flown twice in the past few years without ID when I misplaced my wallet. TSA made me sign a form which basically said nothing useful. Children fly without ID. It's about control not about flight safety.
The comment you are replying to didn't say anything about safety, merely disruption, and I'd wager having a ridiculously large number of people going through extra checks and having to sign forms would be super disruptive ;P.
This is it. States need to rip the band-aid off (or be forced to) so that people will be forced to get a Real ID at their next license renewal. Only then will this deadline pass without being extended
This isn’t as good of an idea as you may think. It is in the best interest of everyone to allow illegal aliens to be licensed and insured.
Washington state also charges a premium for Real ID. For those who don’t fly or cross from Canada to the US, Real ID is just a waste of money.
EDL in WA will be $115 for 5 years starting in 2024. A US Passport Book is $130 for 10 years (or a US Passport Card is $30 and good for domestic air travel and land/ground to CA and MX). Why would I bother with Real ID? I can’t even renew Real ID online or get it immediately after having my photo taken. While quicker than a Passport, it takes 2-3 weeks.
California has had problems with large scale ID counterfeiting, which they really, really do not want to talk about
Second item is an analogy.. when cash for transit here was changing to an electronic ID, the BART transit agency found excuse after excuse to delay.. later, a finance officer said in a public forum "we have a cash flow and we control that" .. much later, things changed somewhat. I believe that Federal vs State govt is simply at odds over the endless self-employment of administering these ID programs, and who calls the shots... and they should be ! Fed growth is virtually a one-way ratchet in practice.
Not only this, Things are very confusing for people. During checking at my last flight I asked the officer about if Ohio ID would be sufficient for the real ID requirement. She couldn't answer because she didn't know how they issue it these days. If this a TSA officer, what about ordinary people?
I think this is one of those cases where you didn't ask the right question. The TSA officer of course doesn't know the ID issue policies of 50+ ID-issuing regions.
If you had asked "How do I know if my ID meets the Real ID requirements", the answer is very simple: "It has an image of a star on the top of the ID".
> the answer is very simple: "It has an image of a star on the top of the ID".
Or an American Flag somewhere on the ID (mine is randomly next to my photo), for the few states that only issue Real ID-compatible IDs in the form of EDL/EIDs. Looking at you, Washington.
And the star can be:
> gold or black star, a white star in a gold or black circle, a white star in a gold bear in the case of California, or a white star in a gold state map in the case of Maine.
It's so absurdly complicated. As someone else said it'd be fantastic parody if it weren't real life.
NY also has that 'American Flag' for an 'enhanced' ID. FYI, the 'enhanced' is only valid for land or sea crossings into canada/mexico/some caribbean destionations (you can't fly into those countries).
You have to go to the DMV for 'real id or enhanced' so I won't be getting one anytime soon until they force it on me. I have a passport for travel anyway.
I believe the US flag is common to all EDLs, that's their version of the gold star.
What I meant by that statement is that Washington, unlike New York, only has EDLs available as a Real ID-compliant option. There are two options: "Unreal" DL or EDL. So there is no gold star at all for some states, they just have the US flag to denote something compatible with Real ID.
>I think this is one of those cases where you didn't ask the right question. The TSA officer of course doesn't know the ID issue policies of 50+ ID-issuing regions.
I thought that because it was a (main) Ohio airport, this will be an appropriate question but probably you are right.
>If you had asked "How do I know if my ID meets the Real ID requirements", the answer is very simple: "It has an image of a star on the top of the ID".
I was asking this question so that I can decide if it is worth getting one because I don't want to keep using my passport on domestic flights (risking it getting lost, and heache to have a replacement outside my home country).
They aren't really officers. They can not arrest nor detain, they don't carry a duty firearm, and they don't swear an oath to uphold Constitution. They play word games.
