Real ID is Racist: Forces Minorities to Travel By Foot

The Department of Homeland Security’s Real ID program, slated for full enforcement on May 7, is drawing fire from both ends of the political spectrum as critics argue it unfairly targets vulnerable groups and erodes personal freedoms.

Progressive activists claim the requirement for federally compliant identification to board domestic flights disproportionately burdens minority communities, while some conservatives recognize it as government overreach.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, black and Hispanic Americans are less likely to have government-issued IDs, with up to 11% of eligible voters lacking such documents—a statistic now fueling debates over air travel access.

“This isn’t about security—it’s about exclusion,” said Karen Carter, a community organizer with the Equity Now Coalition. She cited research showing that marginalized groups often face obstacles like high fees or scarce DMV locations when securing IDs.

The Transportation Security Administration logged over 56 million domestic flyers last year, raising fears that countless travelers could be grounded by the new rule.

Carter’s argument builds on years of data highlighting identification gaps. A 2021 Brennan Center for Justice study revealed that people of color frequently live in underserved areas, complicating access to the documents needed for a Real ID.

“We’ve said it before: IDs are a privilege, not a right,” stated Marcus Rivera, a policy analyst at the Progressive Futures Institute. He insisted that mandating IDs for flights piles yet another burden onto those already hit by economic and racial disparities.

On the other side of the aisle, conservatives like Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky have long opposed Real ID for different reasons. Massie, a vocal libertarian, has called the program “a national ID in disguise” that infringes on privacy and states’ rights.

The Real ID Act, enacted in 2005, aimed to standardize identification nationwide. Today, its critics—left and right—see it as a tool of exclusion or control, whether blocking minorities from flying or forcing Americans into a centralized database.

“If you need an ID to vote, and now to fly, what’s next—needing one to breathe?” Rivera asked. He proposed free ID programs or looser verification options like utility bills to level the playing field.

Airlines are gearing up for turbulence as the deadline nears. An American Airlines spokesperson said staff are training to manage “tense encounters” with passengers rejected at checkpoints, a sign critics say confirms the policy’s flaws.

“This is Jim Crow with wings,” Carter declared. She is demanding an indefinite delay until access is equitable.

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