Who doesn’t love their driver’s license picture? The fluorescent lighting that just managed to highlight every pockmark on your face; that irreplaceable expression that says “I was once smiling, but it took this guy 15 seconds to actually take the picture and the corners of my mouth collapsed;” the impeccable timing that had you taking the picture at the exact moment when your haircut was at its worst.
Now, thanks to a new Homeland Security regulation, you may have to get that license picture redone. The REAL ID Act passed Congress in 2005, but the Department of Homeland Security has kept pushing back the deadline. The act calls for states to redesign IDs so they meet federal standards. The new IDs will be more secure and, by 2017, will be required for anyone to board an airplane, open a bank account or enter some federal buildings.
To ward off terrorists, con artists or illegal immigrants who want to nab an ID under a fake name, the application process will now be much longer and more secure. Data will be checked against federal databases and all forms of identification will have to be checked as well. Original plans called for the cards to have a microchip inserted in them, but officials have backed off that for now, instead giving states a menu of security options to choose from. Not only that, the picture-taking will be the first step of the process, so the image can be run through a computer to verify it’s really you applying for the license. That means all federal security agents will have access to that god-awful photo.
Whether it’s the photo thing or concerns about personal security and civil liberties, there has been backlash against the program. The deadline has been pushed back several times to accommodate states’ refusal to participate. States such as Maine and Montana have passed legislation condemning the bill and refusing to institute the new regulations. However, Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff has called their bluff, saying that if the 17 holdout states don’t accept the REAL ID by May or apply for a waiver asking for more time, their citizens’ licenses will no longer be eligible for use in air travel. That’s quite the power play, one that’s sure to rile up a lot of people already upset because they’re in an airport.
The ACLU, that reliable stalwart for all contrary information, created the Real Nightmare site to examine the negative effects of the program. Chief on the list is the concern that the REAL ID is really just a national ID card, a Big Brother-esque move that frightens a lot of people. When original plans called for a microchip in the ID, most took that to mean the ID would be a tracking device. However, there are also concerns about the immense sharing of personal information among government agencies. The act requires several federal offices to check personal data against one another (because we all know how well government offices share information), creating more opportunities for a hacker to potentially steal millions of identities.
The ACLU also calls REAL ID a “hidden tax,” since its cost is in the billions and means states will either have to raise taxes or hike up the fees for the ID. Also, the bill will cost citizens hours of time. It adds layer upon layer of red tape and line-waiting to a process that already takes too long. I mean, does anybody really want to hang out at the DMV any more than they do already?
Compliance with the law means people under the age of 54 (presumably most students) will need a new license by 2014, while everyone will need one by 2017. That means the next six years will see long lines, high fees and a lot of inconvenience, all in the name of homeland security. And let’s not even mention what this is going to do to the fake ID industry. But, hey, at least you get to reshoot that license photo.