REAL ID enforcement begins: What it means for 'desensitized' American travelers

The REAL ID Act is now in effect, and some Americans are concerned about what it means for their freedom — and after everything the country has been put through over the last five years, their fears are not unfounded.

The new rule mandates that U.S. travelers present a federally compliant ID, such as a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or passport, to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.

Those without compliant IDs will no longer be accepted at TSA checkpoints, potentially causing delays or denial of entry for those without proper identification. They may also face additional screening or be barred from flying.

“If you plan on traveling, we need your help to prevent delays and to prove your identity. Get a REAL ID. Starting May 7, you will need a REAL ID to travel by air or to visit federal buildings in the United States. These IDs keep our country safe because they help prevent fraud and they enhance security,” United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement.

“Please do your part to protect our country. Go today, and don’t delay,” she added.

According to Keith Malinak of “Pat Gray Unleashed,” Ron Paul was sounding the alarm about this decades ago, “warning us of submitting to this, and how it could be setting you up for databases of all sorts of information.”

“But I mean, they already have it,” Pat Gray counters, adding, “We’ve been desensitized to all of this now, and so I don’t know that anybody cares.”

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