State Residents Will Need Extra ID to Enter Federal Facilities
Illinois residents will no longer be able to simply use their driver’s license or state I.D. to enter most federal buildings. That is because sooner than later, a passport will also be required, a regulation that could disproportionately impact blacks and Hispanics.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to Illinois officials stating that the state’s exemption from federal Real ID requirements will end Jan. 10, said David Druker, a spokesman for the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.
“We feel this is shortsighted and misguided,” Druker said.
The 2005 Real ID Act set stricter requirements for proof of legal U.S. residency as it relates to driver’s licenses being valid for federal use.
Congress passed the law based on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission recommendation.
In the past, Illinois had been granted two extensions.
Residents should be able to enter a federal building with both a driver’s license or state I.D. and a passport, Druker said.
Only 40 percent of Illinois residents, however, have a passport, Druker said.
For African Americans and Hispanics, the impact of the law could be even worse because few of them typically own passports, said Walter Farrell, a former North Carolina University professor and fellow of the National Education Policy Center in Boulder, Colo.
“For African Americans, it could be less than 20 percent of them who don’t have a passport,” Farrell said. “Many don’t have a reason for one and the cost is a factor. . . This will disproportionately affect blacks and Hispanics. This could have a devastating impact.”
Druker said Illinois already has already met about 80 percent of the federal requirements for license usage.
But it still needs to comply with regulations of requiring people 65 an older to get regular updates of their licenses or state identification cards, something they didn’t have to do in the past, Druker said.
Some of the changes could cost Illinois millions, which would include updating computers and office space for the requirements, he said.
Currently, the regulation only pertains to entrance into federal buildings.
Residents will still be able to use licenses at airports, which could change in the next year or so.
The Department of Homeland Security would to provide the public at least 120 day notice before any changes are made that affects travel.
Exemptions also will end this month for Missouri, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Washington, officials said.
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