Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem warned Tuesday that unprepared travelers may face some inconveniences but Real ID’s strict identification requirements will begin as scheduled at airports on Wednesday.
She said most regular travelers already have a compliant ID, and those who don’t will still be allowed to fly though they may have to face extra screening before they’re allowed on their flights.
The new rules, which apply to adults, will also restrict entry into military bases and some federal buildings.
Ms. Noem said 81% of regular U.S. airline travelers already have a compliant ID, and the rest will not be blocked from planes, though they will have to jump through extra hoops.
“We are telling people that his law will be enforced and it will allow us to know, individuals in this country, who they are and that they’re authorized to travel,” Ms. Noem told members of Congress.
Real ID was passed by Congress 20 years ago, in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attack and the subsequent recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission.
Commissioners found that some of the airplane hijackers that day were in the country illegally but were still able to board planes using out-of-date or fraudulently obtained identification. The commission report urged a national standard that included more thorough verification of identity.
Real ID requirements were supposed to take effect in 2008, but states were slow to adjust and every administration since then has granted extensions of the deadline.
The latest delay came in 2022, when Ms. Noem’s predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas, set the May 7, 2025, deadline for enforcement. Mr. Mayorkas last year reaffirmed the deadline but called for a two-year phase-in, saying airports should issue warnings but not actually deny anyone boarding.
Ms. Noem said Wednesday that’s how they will operate.
“If it’s not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but they will be allowed to fly,” she told members of Congress.
She acknowledged grumbling over the rules but said she’s following the law passed by Congress and the deadline set by Mr. Mayorkas.
“This is a security issue,” she said. “Congress has had many, many years to evaluate it and decide if they wanted to change the law or to stop it, and the Biden administration chose it should go into place on May 7 and we intend to follow the law.”
U.S. passports and passport cards are valid for travel, as are foreign government passports, Defense Department IDs and photo IDs issued by federally recognized Indian tribes and nations.
But most domestic travelers use a driver’s license or state-issued ID card, and there things can become tricky.
Every state has offered a Real ID-compliant option, but not every person with an ID has chosen that option. A compliant ID is usually designated with a star, flag or the word “Enhanced.”
