FAIR Alert: Congress Preparing to Gut REAL ID

Congress enacted the REAL ID Act in 2005, pursuant to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, after it was discovered that many of the September 11, 2001 hijackers had fraudulently obtained driver’s licenses and used them in planning their attacks. By establishing national standards for states to determine eligibility for driver’s licenses, the REAL ID Act makes it harder for terrorists and illegal aliens to obtain valid state driver’s licenses.It also requires states that do issue driver’s licenses to illegal aliens to mark them “not for identification purposes,” which tells police that the person presenting the card may not be who they claim to be. Employers who see cards marked in this manner recognize that such licenses are not proof of identity for purposes of employment, making it harder for illegal aliens to take jobs in the United States.Now, some Members of Congress are preparing to gut this critical immigration enforcement program, jeopardizing national security. On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security is taking up a funding bill with an amendment by Sen. John Tester (D-Mont.) that strips critical funding for implementing REAL ID. CALL your Member of Congress now and tell him/her to:
- Fully fund REAL ID’s implementation; and
- Oppose additional delays in REAL ID enforcement.
< Previous Article
Pennsylvania Legislature to Consider Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Aliens
Next Article >
Murdoch Momentum Seems Behind the Times