JURIST - Paper Chase: Real ID Act heads to Senate after passing House as part of money bill

[JURIST] The Real ID Act [PDF], which would set guidelines for state identification cards must follow and would require the presentation of four forms of ID to obtain a driver's license, awaits a vote in the Senate after passing the US House of Representatives [official website] Thursday as part of a $82 billion emergency supplemental appropriations bill. The Act [CNET FAQ] is intended to discourage illegal immigration by asking driver's license applicants to present a photo ID, a birth certificate, proof of their Social Security number and a document showing their full name and address, all documents which would then be cross-checked in a federal database. If the bill passes the Senate, states would have three years to comply with its provisions, although many are already preparing for the worst, fearing it may require DMVs to obtain more computers and employees, already limited resources. The ACLU [advocacy website] contends that the legislation rolls back asylum laws, attacks immigrants and sets the stage for a national ID," which it believes will enable others to easily gain access to personal information [press release]. Read House Judiciary Committee chairman James Sensenbrenner's press release on the Real ID Act, which he sponsored. USA Today has more.

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