Today marks the full enforcement of the REAL ID Act, a federal law requiring Americans to present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or approved alternative documentation to board domestic flights and access certain federal buildings. While intended as a post-9/11 security upgrade, the rollout has triggered widespread confusion, delays, and concerns, particularly for Black Americans who historically face greater challenges in accessing government documentation.
According to the TSA, travelers without a REAL ID will still be allowed to fly but will be subjected to additional screening. This may lead to longer wait times, missed flights, and frustration at airport security. TSA has urged passengers to arrive earlier than usual to accommodate these added procedures.
The technical side of the rollout hasn’t gone smoothly either. In states like New Hampshire, TSA scanners have failed to read newly issued REAL IDs, forcing agents to manually verify travelers’ documents. Reports from The US Sun and The Verge note delays as long as 40 minutes per person due to equipment malfunctions—adding another layer of dysfunction to an already strained system.
Alternative Forms of Identification
For those still without a REAL ID, options remain. Valid U.S. passports, military IDs, and Enhanced Driver’s Licenses (EDLs) from states such as Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Vermont, and Washington are still accepted for domestic air travel and entry into federal facilities.
Disproportionate Impact on Black Americans
Beneath the surface of administrative hiccups lies a more systemic concern. Black Americans are more likely to be affected by the REAL ID requirements due to historical and structural inequities. For example, older Black citizens born at home during segregation—especially in the South—often lack official birth certificates, a core requirement for obtaining a REAL ID.
Janette Gantt Palmer, a 76-year-old retired postal worker from Florida, was denied a REAL ID because her birth was never officially recorded. Despite decades of government employment and holding previous licenses, she is now effectively locked out of the system.
Economic disparities and limited access to transportation also play a role. According to Capital B News, 21% of Black adults do not possess a valid driver’s license compared to just 8% of white adults. Organizations like VoteRiders and Black Voters Matter have sounded the alarm, warning that REAL ID could functionally restrict mobility, civic access, and employment for many in Black communities.
Historians also point out that government-issued identification systems have long been tools of racial and social control in America. From passbooks during slavery to Jim Crow-era voting laws, ID requirements have often been weaponized to monitor and restrict the movement of Black people.
What I Don’t Like About the Debate
What I don’t like about the current debate is how white liberals often frame Black people as helpless. Yes, there are racial barriers and real bureaucratic challenges—especially for older citizens or those born under discriminatory systems. But that doesn’t mean we’re incapable. The narrative that Black folks can’t manage paperwork, appointments, or documentation without external hand-holding is just another form of paternalism. We need real solutions, not saviorism. What we require is equity of access, accountability from the system, and the assumption that Black Americans are fully capable when given fair and functional opportunity.
