REAL ID

"A Real Bad ID Law," Boston Globe (editorial), August 12, 2007.

"New License Law Has Ripple Effect on Illegal Immigrants," by Brent D. Wistrom, Knight Ridder Tribune Business News (Washington), August 19, 2007. (Originally appeared in The Wichita Eagle (Kansas)).

Keywords: REAL ID Act (2005), terrorism, Homeland Security, immigration, illegal aliens, identity theft

The 2005 REAL ID Act, effectively requiring citizens to have a national ID card, is scheduled to go into effect on May 11, 2008. Critics claim this financially overburdens state budgets, that it is potentially a violation of state's constitutional rights, that meeting the requirements simply isn't feasible, and that it's not the right solution for the problem. Some states are fighting back.

Question:

* Will Real ID help against in the fight terrorism and with the immigration problem? Or is this a step to an Orwellian Police State?

Articles available online. For more information, search the CQ Researcher and the Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. (both links PSU only).

Russ H.