Latest news with #RealId
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
REAL ID deadline comes and goes – airports report business as usual
Despite fears of first-day chaos over the new REAL ID requirement, airports reported smooth sailing Wednesday, with no major disruptions tied to the rollout, according to security officials. "We didn't see long lines," one passenger arriving at South Carolina's Greeneville-Spartanburg Airport from Washington-Dulles told a local reporter. "It was a walk in the park." TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers said in April that about 20% of the public still lacks REAL ID compliance. When asked whether this could affect travel times starting Wednesday, she said it's "reasonable" to expect travelers may need to arrive early. Do We Even Need This? Lawmakers Get Real About Real Id Mandate Starting Today "I am extremely concerned there will be long lines and a lot of confusion," Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and president of Atmosphere Research Group, added in comments to travel website The Points Guy ahead of the rollout. Meanwhile, Philadelphia International Airport urged passengers to arrive two-and-a-half hours early for domestic flights Wednesday. However, reporters at various airports across the country found that the delays some feared never came to fruition, and wait times were minimal. Airport and security officials confirmed their reports. Read On The Fox News App "We are pleased to share that the TSA lines are moving efficiently," Nashville International Airport said Wednesday. "Smooth operations this morning," Baltimore-Washington International Airport reported. "Smooth" operations were reported by airports and security officials alike. There was an increased presence of Homeland Security officials at Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, but no complaints were reported to Fox News reporters on the ground there from passengers. Travelers on social media and in news reports shared stories of getting through airport security without a REAL ID, or its compliant equivalent such as a passport, which federal officials indicated would be possible with additional screening ahead of Wednesday's rollout. Several passengers without compliant identification were given a notice indicating their IDs were not REAL ID compliant, and they should expect delays the next time they travel if they don't have one. Flight Passengers Warn Of 'Real Id Apocalypse' While Others Acknowledge Americans Can Still Fly The federal government's REAL ID requirement is two decades in the making and has faced several delays over the years. The law stemmed from long-held concerns from federal officials about false identification, but gained momentum and was enacted following the 9/11 attacks. "REAL ID will keep us more secure. It gives us more information so that we know who is traveling on our federal transportation systems and our airlines," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Wednesday in a video from Washington-Reagan International Airport. "Thank you everybody for all of your cooperation, and we're looking to make America more secure in following our federal law."Original article source: REAL ID deadline comes and goes – airports report business as usual
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
REAL ID mishaps minimal, airports report; expert warns there's potential chaos to come
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways As airports across the country are reporting relatively few issues on the first day of Real Id enforcement, at least one aviation expert and former pilot tells Fox News Digital he doesn't expect that kind of peace to last. "From an airport operations perspective, neither [George W. Bush Intercontinental] or [Houston-Hobby] have responded to any issues," a representative for Houston's airports authority said Wednesday. The official added that Texas law enforcement began issuing REAL IDs nine years ago and that the Lone Star State is well covered with 90% of its population listed as having a REAL ID. On the other side of the country, an official with the Port Authority, which operates JFK, La Guardia and Newark-Liberty in the New York City area, said there were "no issues" at the latter. Identity Of Second Deported Man Who Judge Wants Returned To Us Revealed As Trump Admin Fights Order Passengers line up for the security checkpoint at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on May 7, 2025, the first day when REAL ID is required for Americans to board flights. A Fox News producer reporting from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was able to go through security with an escort to get lunch without issue. Read On The Fox News App Officials at Newark Liberty were giving a slip of paper to passengers not yet REAL ID compliant as part of phase 1 of the rollout. Moving down the Jersey Turnpike to Philadelphia, an official said they are having a "smooth REAL ID Day." "Checkpoint lines have been flowing all day and the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has had staff on hand to answer questions and process passengers," the official said. "PHL (Philadelphia International Airport) also had its customer care team pre-security to greet passengers and answer or direct questions. We saw most passengers ready with passports or the REAL ID state-issued identification as they approached the checkpoints." At the other end of I-95, Miami International Airport reported normal traffic at checkpoints and underlined that over the past year, the hub has partnered with the TSA to communicate with passengers, including terminal-wide signage, about the REAL ID deadline and alternate forms of identification. Real Id Renews America's Age-old Dread Of The Dmv TSA agents check airline passengers for REAL IDs or passports at the security checkpoint at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on May 7, 2025. At Charlotte-Douglas in North Carolina, wait times averaged 10 minutes throughout the day, and an official said its staff had been "well-prepared" for the adjustment. At the busiest airport in the U.S., an official said everything was running smoothly. "I was just downstairs (near the checkpoint). We did not see any adverse impact," said Herschel Grangent Jr. of Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta. Boston-Logan officials echoed that assessment, adding they also utilized the same advertising strategy as Miami for its REAL ID deadline preparation. "At Logan, our customer service team will have extra staff on hand during the rollout to greet passengers and remind them to have their IDs out before they get into the TSA line," an official said. However, former commercial and private pilot Ryan Tseko told Fox News Digital in a Wednesday interview that any lull won't last for long. "The amount of delays it's going to put on the system is massive," said Tseko, who formerly worked for United Express and is now a vice president at Cardone Capital. "I don't think the public was aware. I think it wasn't clear," he said, adding he expects a bottleneck at airports. "A lot of these people are students who now have to drive up to 12 hours back and forth." He predicted that when issues begin appearing, there will be calls to delay full implementation once again, as has been the norm since the Bush era. Fox News' Courtney DeGeorge contributed to this report. Original article source: REAL ID mishaps minimal, airports report; expert warns there's potential chaos to come
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
New travel rules, same confusion: REAL ID raises questions, concerns among college-aged travelers
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways The month of May kicks off the start of the U.S. summer travel season – and nowhere is that felt more acutely than on college campuses, where students are closing laptops, submitting finals and streaming off campus in droves. However, some may not get past the airport, thanks to a federal ID rule taking effect just as school's out. The Department of Homeland Security set the May 7 enforcement date for REAL ID last year, but the law itself has been delayed for nearly two decades. Congress passed it in 2005 – before most current college freshmen were even born. With the deadline landing right after spring semester ends, there is real concern that students heading home could be confused or caught flat-footed by the new requirements. "We have tens of thousands of folks weekly that are showing up at our driver's license centers to get the REAL ID," Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Michael Carroll said at a press conference this week. "It's a real challenge for us right now, because folks have waited until the last minute." On campuses, the buzz in the air is almost palpable as first-year students clamor to share their summer plans, either to far-flung destinations or to visit friends and family. For many, their "plans" include simply packing a carry-on, grabbing friends and escaping as soon as possible to a beach for sun-drenched surf and relaxation. However, for some travelers lacking a REAL ID – or confused about what the law means for them – this update could pose some very real, very unexpected barriers to summer travel. Real Id Renews America's Age-old Dread Of The Dmv Read On The Fox News App TSA agents check airline passengers for REAL IDs or passports at the security check point at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Today is the first day when REAL ID will be required for Americans, but DHS officials say Americans without it will still be allowed to travel for now. Some students were prepared. Riley Davis, a junior at the University of Alabama, said she obtained a REAL ID-compliant license earlier this year. "I first heard about Real ID on social media last year, and got the star added when I renewed my license this year," Davis told Fox News Digital. She praised her state's process as "super fast" and easy, noting that she was also able to register for the appointment online at her local DMV – an option available in some states. Most college freshmen just wrapped up two intense semesters, adjusting to academic pressures, building new friendships and navigating the quirks of dorm life – all while living away from home for the first time. Many also turned 18 just before or during their first year, meaning they may have only recently become eligible for a REAL ID, which is issued to U.S. residents 18 and older. It is unclear how many college-aged Americans are currently in compliance with REAL ID requirements. Current estimates are limited and vary from state to state. New Jersey's REAL ID compliance is the lowest in the country at 17% last month, according to data compiled by CBS News. Pennsylvania and New York reported compliance rates of just 26% and 43%, respectively. Identity Of Second Deported Man Who Judge Wants Returned To Us Revealed As Trump Admin Fights Order Several patrons wait in line at the San Francisco DMV on July 23, 2019 in San Francisco. College students have cited confusion in recent conversations with friends and family about the new IDs and enforcement, as well as whether other documents, such as a passport, would be sufficient. For anyone who is not prepared to meet REAL ID requirements, either because of when they turned 18 or due to confusion over the law's enforcement date, they could face long lines and significant wait times before they are cleared to fly domestically, if they can secure an appointment at all. Officials in New Jersey, for example, said they post "thousands" of new slots a day for residents to obtain REAL ID licenses, slots that have booked up almost immediately, due to the backlog of residents waiting to apply. Alabama also warned that its appointments are filling up fast, especially in larger cities, and may not be available online due to the last-minute crush. "If appointments are booked in your area, please check other nearby examining offices," Alabama state officials said last month. Need Real Id In A Hurry? Here Are Some Options Outside The Dmv TSA agents check airline passengers for REAL IDs or passports at the security check point at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Other states are also dealing with an eleventh-hour surge in visitors clamoring to obtain a REAL ID before they travel. Brilyn Hollyhand, an 18-year-old college student and political commentator who met just days earlier with President Donald Trump, told Fox News Digital this week that his issue is not with REAL IDs, but the way they will be used, or not used, for that matter. "I think it's insane and stupid that we require an ID to fly domestically, but not to vote," Hollyhand said of the new requirements, which also apply to domestic flights. "It's simple," he added. "If you need an ID to fly and visit your grandmother out of state, you need it to cast your ballot to decide the future of our nation." Many young travelers mistakenly believe their current IDs will still work – even if they lack the star in the top right corner that indicates REAL ID compliance. Others do not realize that a valid passport can also be used for air travel under the new rules, adding to the confusion. Garrett McDonalds, a sophomore at Auburn University, said his parents told him about the new ID requirements after they got their own licenses renewed – prompting him to renew his own ahead of the deadline. He described the process as easy and "crazy smooth," so long as applicants bring the right paperwork. "Now it should be easier to fly, and hopefully I don't have to worry about losing my passport on trips anymore!" he said. TSA agents have warned that individuals without REAL IDs will be subject to additional screening beginning May 7 and should prepare for additional time at the airport before their flights. Original article source: New travel rules, same confusion: REAL ID raises questions, concerns among college-aged travelers
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Top TSA official explains what to do if you don't have REAL ID
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways TSA Administrator Adam Stahl explained what Americans without REAL ID should do if they have an upcoming flight, and he addressed concerns about the potential for long lines as a result. Enforcement of REAL ID went into effect on Wednesday in order for people to fly domestically within the United States and enter some federal buildings, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Stahl told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that people who "do not have a compliant REAL ID will experience possibly additional vetting, additional screening at the checkpoint. Those that do not – We'll be working pretty aggressively to minimize any sort of impacts to the checkpoint, to travel to the checkpoint." Real Id Is About To Go Into Effect. Here's How It May Impact Voting He noted that a military ID, a passport, and global entry are alternatives that somebody can use, but if they do not have any of those, they will make their flight. "You will still get through the checkpoint. You'll be okay. You may face some additional screening measures, and that's why we're really underscoring to folks to please go to the airport early. Read On The Fox News App He noted that REAL ID's history stems from 9/11, even though the enforcement of the law has been pushed back several times. Real Id Documents Held Up In Mail According To Americans Who Enrolled Before Deadline The Transportation Security Administration's new facial recognition technology is seen at a Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport security checkpoint, April 26, 2023, in Glen Burnie, Md. The U.S. government has started requiring migrants without passports to submit to facial recognition technology to take domestic flights under a change that prompted confusion Tuesday, March 12, 2024, among immigrants and advocacy groups in Texas. DHS noted that REAL ID will assist with immigration enforcement, as those in the country illegally will not be able to fly unless they are flying back to their country of origin. "This is a law that was passed in 2005 called the Real ID Law. And this was a critical vulnerability that was identified in the wake of 9/11. And this is really all about elevating identity and document integrity. And so, this administration, this secretary feels strongly that this is an important law to enforce and that really, this is critical to ensuring the safety and the security of our skies." Stahl also addressed skeptics of the law, who may be concerned that it could be used to keep a closer eye on the American public unnecessarily. Real Id Rejection By Americans May Come Down To One Surprising Factor Travelers make their way through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on May 24, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. AAA projects travelers going 50 miles or more this Memorial Day holiday will be almost 44 million people, a number not seen since 2005. "The notion that we are creating some sort of national surveillance system is not true, it's not correct," Stahl said, saying the TSA's main focus is "safety" for travelers. "This is all about, again, ensuring and elevating document and data integrity to really ensure that we're ensuring the safety in our skies of our passengers and of the traveling public. So it has nothing to do with a national database. It's all about elevating document and identity integrity," he added. Original article source: Top TSA official explains what to do if you don't have REAL ID
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
How many Americans are actually ready for REAL ID? Compliance crosses partisan, geographic bounds
With REAL ID's deadline approaching Wednesday, there are still swaths of the country where travelers could run into trouble trying to hit the skies for summer break. Although at least 12 states are more than 90% REAL ID-compliant, many still have significant portions of their populations who will need a passport to fly. The states in the proverbial green include Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming as well as Washington, D.C. Texas reported 98% compliance, Mississippi 97%, Hawaii and Utah 96%, according to a CBS survey. New Jersey has recently made headlines for its low REAL ID compliance, but it tops the nation in passport ownership, with 69% of residents holding one, according to data from the Center for American Progress and Swift Passport Services. Married Women Face Real Id Documentation Hurdles: 'I Can't Accept This' Read On The Fox News App A TSA agent, DMV facility, and lines of travelers at a U.S. airport are seen in this split image. A 2005 Real ID law takes hold on May 7, 2025, after a 20-year delay, prompting a frenzied 11th-hour surge of travelers to their local DMVs to obtain the new identification. Delaware, California, New York, Massachusetts and Alaska also ranked high. Though geographically diverse, all the states – except Delaware – serve as major international travel hubs, home to airports like Ted Stevens, Logan, and JFK. The First State, however, is only a short distance from Philadelphia International Airport. By contrast, the states with the lowest proportion of passport holders tend to be ones without major airports: West Virginia, Mississippi, Kentucky and Alabama. What effect that may have on REAL ID-era travel remains unclear. Those states do, however, have regional Amtrak stops like Harpers Ferry, Jackson, Ashland and Birmingham, respectively. REAL ID is not required for intrastate or interstate rail travel. Real Id Is About To Go Into Effect: Here's How It May Impact Voting A REAL ID is an identification that includes a star emblazoned in the upper corner to denote the holder has provided additional identifying documentation like a Social Security card to a government agent. It will be required for air travel and to enter most government or military installations. The law requiring REAL ID was passed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, but has been delayed several times by multiple presidential administrations. Last week, Wingate University political science professor Dr. Magdalena Krajewska – an expert on national ID cards – told the school's news outlet she was surprised the delays have taken so long. "I feel like all of us who were alive during that time, all of us who witnessed this as it was happening, thought the U.S. would do everything to prevent something similar from happening again," she said. Krajewska added it is important that people also know they don't need a REAL ID to enter less-secure government locations like a post office. Original article source: How many Americans are actually ready for REAL ID? Compliance crosses partisan, geographic bounds
