Posted on 01/12/2008 5:42:02 AM PST by kellynla
Millions of air travelers may find going through airport security much more complicated this spring, as the Bush administration heads toward a showdown with state governments over post-Sept. 11 rules for new driver's licenses.
By May, the dispute could leave millions of people unable to use their licenses to board planes, but privacy advocates called that a hollow threat by federal officials.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who was unveiling final details of the REAL ID Act's rules on Friday, said that if states want their licenses to remain valid for air travel after May 2008, those states must seek a waiver indicating they want more time to comply with the legislation.
Chertoff said that for any state which doesn't seek such a waiver by May, residents of that state will have to use a passport or certain types of federal border-crossing cards if they want to avoid a vigorous secondary screening at airport security.
"The last thing I want to do is punish citizens of a state who would love to have a REAL ID license but can't get one," Chertoff said. "But in the end, the rule is the rule as passed by Congress."
The plan's chief critic, the American Civil Liberties Union, called Chertoff's deadline a bluff — and urged state governments to call him on it.
"Are they really prepared to shut those airports down? Which is what effectively would happen if the residents of those states are going to have to go through secondary scrutiny," said Barry Steinhardt, director of the ACLU's technology and liberty program. "This is a scare tactic."
So far, 17 states have passed legislation or resolutions objecting to the REAL ID Act's provisions, many due to concerns it will cost them too much to comply. The 17, according to the ACLU, are Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington.
Maine officials said Friday they were unsure if their own state law even allows them to ask for a waiver.
"It certainly seems to be an effort by the federal government to create compliance with REAL ID whether states have an interest in doing so or not," said Don Cookson, spokesman for the Maine secretary of state's office.
The Sept. 11 attacks were the main motivation for the changes: The hijacker-pilot who flew into the Pentagon, Hani Hanjour, had four driver's licenses and ID cards from three states.
The Homeland Security Department and other officials say the only way to ensure an ID is safe is to check it against secure government data; critics such as the ACLU say that creates a system that is more likely to be infiltrated and have its personal data pilfered.
Congress passed the REAL ID law in 2005, but the effort has been delayed by opposition from states worried about the cost and civil libertarians upset about what they believe are invasions of privacy.
Under the rules announced Friday, Americans born after Dec. 1, 1964, will have to get more secure driver's licenses in the next six years, over which time the new requirements would gradually be phased in.
A key deadline would come in 2011, when federal authorities hope all states will be in compliance, and the regulations would not take full effect for all Americans until 2017.
To make the plan more appealing to cost-conscious states, federal authorities drastically reduced the expected cost from $14.6 billion to $3.9 billion, a 73 percent decline, said Homeland Security officials familiar with the plan.
By 2014, anyone seeking to board an airplane or enter a federal building would have to present a REAL ID-compliant card, with the notable exception of those older than 50, Homeland Security officials said.
The over-50 exemption was created to give states more time to get everyone new licenses, and officials say the risk of someone in that age group being a terrorist, illegal immigrant or con artist is much less. By 2017, even those over 50 must have a REAL ID-compliant card to board a plane.
Among other details of the REAL ID plan:
_The traditional driver's license photograph would be taken at the beginning of the application instead of the end so that if someone is rejected for failure to prove identity and citizenship, the applicant's photo would be kept on file and checked if that person tried to con the system again.
_The cards will have three layers of security measures but will not contain microchips as some had expected. States will be able to choose from a menu which security measures they will put in their cards.
_After Social Security and immigration status checks become nationwide practice, officials plan to move on to more expansive security checks. State DMV offices would be required to verify birth certificates; check with other states to ensure an applicant doesn't have more than one license; and check with the State Department to verify applicants who use passports to get a driver's license.
“the serf.” LOL
They might as well go whole hog and implant the info in a chip under our skin. I guess that’ll come later after everyone’s used to the card. Increments.
See my post #138, where I cited the statement on the back of mine. It was issued a couple of years ago as a replacement for the one I got in 1973, so it’s pretty current.
I got a passport in 2005. They didn’t ask for medical records, and I wouldn’t have given them any.
They certainly were. I came back only when the worst of the FROBL'rs were sent packing, or I'd have stayed gone. They completely disgusted me. They came after me and a good many other patriotic, conservatives, religiously, trying to get done to us what they got done to many others.
hehehe
well...tis true. : )
I still haven't heard back from the census taker. I told them how many were in our home and that was all. She kept asking questions and I kept telling her that was none of my governments business. Just an fwiw on intrusion by our government.
Say what!?
Thanks. I’ll so have a look at your post.
They are already selling that as an option for the little serfs. “It will make little Johnnie safe, his medical records will be readily available, and he’ll be tracked down if he ever get’s lost”
It’s probably just an “option” right now.
Just wait until the time when that's an arrestable offense...and the brownshirts come and take you away.
Yes. That's why we people use the tired old, 'well you have a SS card' That's different than having Real ID.
The government has access to your medical records. It is part of HIPAA.
Talk about Orwellian effect. Seems as though we’re inching closer and closer to his 1984.
At one time seat belts were voluntary.
I don’t look bad in orange. lolol
Yep. So is the military ID card I carried for 24 years, and the military retiree ID card I’ve carried for over 10 years. This one is good until I turn 65, and does not have biometric data on it, except a decade+-old photo of me in uniform my last duty day.
The CAC card one of our FRiends mentioned is closer, I’m afraid, but I don’t know how close.
Yep...increments, because, truly, most people are stupid and can’t think beyond yesterday or tomorrow....they are dumb sheep.
lol
How about orange with white stripes...a fashion statement?
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