Noem says travelers lacking Real ID can still fly, for now

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday that travelers without Real ID-compliant cards will still be able to board their flights for the time being — even once the law fully takes effect Wednesday.

In testimony before a House Appropriations subcommittee, however, Noem said those individuals without proper identification will likely face additional steps before they’re permitted to travel.

“What will happen tomorrow is folks will come through the line, and [they] will issue their ID and show it. If it's not compliant, they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly,” Noem told lawmakers Tuesday.

Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005 in an effort to improve national security following recommendations from the 9/11 Commission.

The law sought to set federal standards for state-issued driver’s licenses, including by requiring states to check for key identification material, including birth certificates, immigration status and Social Security numbers, before issuing identification cards.

Passengers will need to present their Real IDs to board domestic flights once the law is implemented, though passports and certain other forms of identification will still be acceptable.

The full enforcement date has been pushed back repeatedly since the law was first passed and is finally slated to take effect May 7.

“We recognize that this is a security issue,” Noem said Tuesday. “Congress has had many, many years to reevaluate it and decide if they wanted to change the law or to stop it, and the Biden administration chose that it should go into place on May 7.”

The Department of Homeland Security chief added that she wants to ensure travel goes as smoothly as possible for people but said the agency is still committed to enforcing the law. She noted that 81 percent of air travelers already have Real ID-compliant cards.

“We intend to follow the law, so we will make sure that it is as seamless as possible, and that travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary,” she said during the hearing.

“But we are telling people that this law will be enforced, and it will allow us to know individuals in this country, who they are and that they're authorized to travel," Noem added.

The Hill has reached out to the department and the Transportation Security Administration to clarify what additional steps travelers with noncompliant IDs would have to take in order to board their flights — and whether those steps are consistent with enforcement of the law.