They extend 19 months date of entry into force of the 'Real ID'.

The date of entry into force of the True Identification Law or 'Real ID' , set for October 1 of this year (after several extensions) was again extended for another 19 months, this time until May 3, 2023, announced the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

"The full implementation date of the 'Real ID' for 19 months, from October 1, 2021 to May 3, 2023, is due to circumstances resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," said the Secretary of the Department of Security National (DHS), Alejandro Mayorkas.

The official added that the pandemic "has significantly affected the ability of states to issue driver's licenses and identification cards that comply with Real ID regulations," created by a law of Congress passed on April 10, 2005 during the government of George W, Bush .

Mayorkas further said that "many driver's license agencies (issued by the Departments of Motor Vehicles -DMV-) still operate with limited capacity" and that DHS "will publish an interim final rule in the coming days to effect this change in execution date ”.

Health reasons

The extension of the deadline is due to public health reasons due to the coronavirus pandemic that has plagued the world and the country since March of last year, a problem that has affected the country's mobilization capacity due to the closure of dependencies.

"Protecting the health, safety and security of our communities is our top priority," Mayorkas said.

"As our country continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, extending the full 'Real ID' lead time will give states the time to reopen their driver license operations and ensure their residents can obtain a license. license or identification card that complies with the law ”of 2005, he specified.

The US national security chief also said that as of May 3, 2023 , “every air traveler 18 years of age or older will need a driver's license or identification card that complies with 'Real ID', an enhanced document issued by the state or another form of identification acceptable by the Administration for the Security in the Transport (TSA) in the control points of aerial security for national flights ”.

After 15 years ...

In January of last year, 15 years and seven months after the REAL ID Act (True Identification Act) was passed, only 34% of the total estimated driver's licenses met security targets determined by Congress , according to a DHS report.

The department said at the time that it had sent a letter to the governors of every state, the District of Columbia (DC) and the US territories "asking them to provide a monthly update of the number of 'Real ID' licenses issued by their jurisdictions.

Based on responses received, DHS said that “states reported that they had collectively issued more than 95 million 'Real ID' compliant driver's licenses and identification cards.

The percentage represents 34% of the 276 million driver's licenses or personal identification cards estimated by the federal government as of that date, he added.

Two months later, the government declared a national emergency due to the coronavirus and both the federal and state governments closed operations to control the pandemic, which to date has infected 32,179,505 people in the United States and left a balance of 573,452 deaths . according to data from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The 'Real ID' Law

On April 10, 2005, three years and seven months after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress passed the 'Real ID Act'.

It establishes that all those born after December 1, 1964 will be obliged to obtain the new identification document, the first step for the implementation of the national identity card.

The legislation became the greatest threat to the 11 million undocumented immigrants , who by not being able to access this document will be practically deprived of living in the United States.