New Federal Real ID Plan is Raising Privacy Concerns

The Department Of Homeland Security is insisting that a Real ID is essential weapon in the war on terrorism. Estimates of the state and federal cost, over the next 10 years could reach as high as $23 billion.

As stated in the Federal Register, Vol73, No.19 dated Jan. 29, 2008 rules and regulations; all U.S. residents born after December 1, 1964 will need to visit their DMV by December 1, 2014 to have their Real ID issued. If you were born prior to December 1, 1964 you will then have until 2017 to obtain your real id. You will need this new id if you want to board a plane, enter a federal building or even to picnic in a national park.

The new law will limit those who will be able to receive licenses or ID cards. There will be nine categories of people who are either citizens of the US or aliens who can be legally documented as being in the US.

Five out of the nine categories the state may only issue a temporary drivers license or ID card that will be valid for the period the person is authorized to stay in the US. If the person does not have a definite period of time to stay in the US then a temporary id can be issued for a period of no more than 1 year. After 1 year it can be renewed if valid evidence is presented that Homeland Security has extended the status of the person.

States will have the right not to comply with this new Real ID in which case citizens will have to use their passport for federal purposes. All states that do comply will be prohibited from issuing the new secure drivers license to illegal immigrants.

States that do comply will need to design their driver's license with imbedded security features set by Homeland Security and digital photographs.

This will require 245 million license and state ID holders to visit their local DMV for a Real ID by 2014. Everyone will be required to bring a photo id, birth certificate, proof of social security number and proof of residents. States will be held responsible for holding, maintaining, and protecting these massive databases.

Of course all these cost will be paid for by us American citizens. These cost may be in the form of new transportation tax, motor vehicle tax, gasoline tax, or even added to your next state tax bill.

Since everyone's personal data will now be housed in massive databases, identity thieves will now have a one-stop-shopping of our personal data. So what will this do to identity theft now? At least we know our country will be more secure from terrorist attacks.

So what will this mean for you in the near future? Since this new ID program will not only lead to long lines at your local DMV it will also impose unfunded mandate on state governments while offering no privacy protection for our US citizens.