DHS: REAL ID “Unreliable” for Citizenship Despite Its Own Certification
The REAL ID Act, enacted in 2005, aimed to establish uniform standards for state IDs for security purposes, yet the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) now considers it unreliable for confirming U.S. citizenship. This is despite REAL IDs requiring proof of citizenship for issuance. In a court filing, DHS admitted REAL IDs’ unreliability, and that agents may disregard the ID as proof of citizenship. This stance, revealed in response to a lawsuit regarding an instance of racial profiling, raises questions about the REAL ID’s effectiveness and its adherence to the Fourth Amendment.
John Q. Hosedrinker