Real ID Vs ID Card

As part of the federal Real ID Act of 2005, which mandates drivers’ licenses and identification cards that meet national security standards, states must verify an applicant’s legal status in the US – forcing state licensing agencies into engaging in immigration enforcement efforts and violating their Tenth Amendment rights by mandating compliance with this federal mandate. Unfortunately, this mandate unfairly targets immigrants.

Real ID could have serious repercussions. Not only would undocumented migrants be barred from acquiring valid forms of identification, but working in industries like agriculture could become prohibitively difficult – leading to negative economic repercussions not just for those directly affected, but for all of New York state as a whole.

As soon as the Real ID requirement takes effect, many DACA and TPS recipients may have difficulty getting IDs, making employment harder to continue while restricting access to essential services like health care and education that they need for survival.

People impacted by this policy should fight back through constitutional challenges to this legislation, so that the Supreme Court can determine whether its provisions violate the Tenth Amendment and should be overturned.