Convicted Felons & the Real ID Act

The Real ID Act was passed by Congress in May 2005. Although the Real ID Act was to take effect on May 2008, almost all states have asked for an extension. The Real ID Act is intended to require that all states issue a federal identification card. This card will allow all states to share information on a national database.

The Real ID Act is supposed to help law enforcement obtain information on convicted felons, even if they have crossed state lines. Currently, if a convicted felon leaves the State of Arizona and travels into Texas, and he is stopped by a police officer in Texas, that police officer will not know about a warrant or felony conviction that he received in Arizona, because the databases that law enforcement use are not synchronized.

In addition to a driver's license, residents would have a federal identification card under the Real ID Act.

Creates Obstacles for Felons

The Real ID Act will prevent convicted felons from crossing state lines and obtaining another drivers license by using another name. It will allow police officers across the nation to obtain the same information about convicted felons.

Helps Law Enforcement

According to Tim Richardson of the Fraternal Order of Police, the Real ID Act will help law enforcement officers to obtain accurate information of any person that they are contacting. The current complaint from law enforcement is that they do not have accurate and reliable data about convicted felons, because the information from the databases of each state and federal agency is not shared among them. As a result, the lives of the officers are at risk, since they do not fully know if the person they are contacting is convicted felon.

Keeping Us Safer?

Because the Sept. 11 terrorists had in their possession various driver's licenses with false identities, some argue that the Real ID act will make us safer. It will take the power away from violent convicted felons and make us safer. Others argue that it would be easier for someone to steal a person's identity, and one breach in security in the national database could devastate many in terms of identity theft.

It has not yet been determined if the Real ID will include a radio frequency identification RFID chip on the ID card. This could raise many privacy issues.

Effectiveness

Convicted felons are extremely sophisticated and could potentially come up with a plan on how to get around the Real ID, and ultimately not let it affect them.

Opposition

The Real ID Act does have its opponents. According to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano "...Real ID is producing very little progress in terms of securing driver's licenses ...Real ID is unrealistic."

Additionally, according to American Civil Liberties Union Legislative Counsel Timothy Sparapani "...Real ID is expensive, it is invasive and it does nothing to stop terrorism."

Tracking Convicted Felons

According to Robert Vamosi, Senior Editor of CNET reviews, we should test out the Federal ID by tracking convinced felons and determining if this will work.

Most citizens are opposed the the Real ID Act because they feel it should be applied only to criminals and not to law abiding citizens. Law abiding citizens do not want their privacy to be invaded.

Supporters

According to Congressman Jim Sensenberger, the original author of the Real ID Act, "Ziad Jarrah, one of the terrorists responsible for the plane crash in Pennsylvania, was pulled over two days before 9/11. Had Real ID been in place, he would have been discovered holding multiple licenses and red flags may have been raised. Instead, he was issued a ticket and sent on his way."

References

• Do we need a National Id Card?
• Sesenberger Responds to Pass Id Legislation