A Real Id background check
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- Real Id
- US Constitution
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- Kentucky
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History and Present
In 2005, Congress passed an unconstitutional law requiring all American citizens to be issued a “National Identification card” (U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander’s words on the Senate floor) – a REAL ID. In 2008, the Department of Homeland Security issued a rule requiring all states to conform to the unconstitutional federal law and issue REAL IDs for driver’s licenses and identification cards.
More than half of the states REFUSED this usurpation of states’ rights— 25 states passed laws prohibiting compliance and 12 states passed resolutions opposing REAL ID. Federal deadline after deadline passed with little state compliance. In 2016, President Obama issued the “You can’t fly” lie. In 2017, U.S. Senator Rand Paul sponsored a bill to repeal REAL ID, but it did not advance (Senator Paul is now the chair of the U.S. Senate’s Homeland Security committee).
The news media parroted the “you can’t fly” lie, and Americans began pressuring state legislators to comply. By 2018, most states were in compliance with the federal rule, but a majority of cards were not.
Find the 15 other acceptable identification documents that can be used to fly on the TSA website.
Today 44 percent of all IDs and driver’s licenses are not in compliance. For the sake of protecting our constitutional rights and freedoms, we need to increase that number. People with REAL IDs should switch to a standard ID or DL in the 45 states that do not require you to have a REAL ID.
Under the U.S. Constitution, no one is required to submit to REAL ID, or any National ID system.
Resources with Real Id information
- Real Id is unconstitutional - Public Comment
- Billboard Campaign
- Kentucky information
- TAKE ACTION NOW
.@RonPaul warned us, all the way back in June 1999, when I was only one year old:
— TJ Roberts (@realTJRoberts) April 14, 2025
“The national I.D. card, when instituted, will be used for everything: To get on an airplane, to get a job, open up a bank account; whatever we want to do, we will have to show our papers. This is… https://t.co/VTGnSj9qRg pic.twitter.com/NjuEIcxI4p
Legislator Comment | Kentucky Senate Republicans | 4-23-25
...In a recent op-ed, Higdon emphasized that while the May 7 REAL ID deadline is quickly approaching, many Kentuckians may not need a REAL ID at all, depending on their travel and access needs. He clarified that standard driver’s licenses will still be valid for daily use within the state, and alternatives like U.S. passports or passport cards also meet federal requirements for air travel and access to secure facilities. Higdon encouraged residents to review their options early and choose the form of identification that best fits their circumstances.
