REAL ID Act and Secure Identification

"The 9/11 Commission recommended that the U.S. improve its system for issuing identification documents, urging the federal government to set standards for the issuance of sources of identification. In 2005, Congress passed a law implementing the Commission’s recommendations – a law that included several provisions of the Drivers' License Compact, a voluntary state standard endorsed by more than 45 states."

- U.S. Department of Homeland Security

"As long as proof of lawful presence in the United States is not required of drivers license or non-driver ID applicants, anyone can take advantage of those vulnerabilities. In addition to terrorists, criminals of all kinds — identity thieves, counterfeiters, deadbeat dads, even underage teens seeking IDs to drink and drive — also use multiple IDs to hide their true identity from the law. . .With REAL ID, drivers license identity theft will be much more difficult because more secure IDs will verify ID information before a DL/ID is issued and because the cards themselves will become more tamper-resistant and make it easier for law enforcement to determine fakes."

- Janice Kephart, Director of National Security Policy at CIS