‘Serious Risk To Freedom’: DHS Secretary Ignites Firestorm With Controversial Announcement

A tool in the fight against illegal immigration — or another imposition by the security state?

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced a fast-approaching deadline for Real ID compliance, igniting controversy on X. 

“Starting May 7th, you will need a REAL ID to travel by air or to visit federal buildings in the United States,” said Noem in a video posted to her X account. “These IDs keep our country safe, because they help prevent fraud and they enhance security,” she continued. (RELATED: Kristi Noem Details How DOGE Is Working To Find Illegal Immigrants Who Unlawfully Hold Social Security Numbers | The Daily Caller) 

Starting May 7, you will need a Real ID to fly. Real IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. If you plan to fly, make sure you get a Real ID so you won’t be denied from your flight or face travel delays!https://t.co/rmP0renGHs pic.twitter.com/f92iT0uygA

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) April 11, 2025

Noem’s most prominent skeptics include Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who fired off a barrage of posts in opposition to REAL ID.

“Real ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom,” Massie wrote. 

As long as the pilot’s door is locked and no one has weapons, why do you care that someone who flies has government permission?

Real ID provides no benefit, yet presents a serious risk to freedom.

If a person can’t be trusted to fly without weapons, why are they roaming free?

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 14, 2025

The identification “won’t stop terrorists from hijacking planes,” he wrote in another post. “Real ID is a national standard and database of IDs that is primarily a tool for control of Americans. Trump shouldn’t enforce it.”

Certainly, any legislation that requires Americans to spend more time at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is a tough sell.

The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005, following a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission regarding federal control of identification. The act, as noted by Ron Paul, was authored by the same man who wrote the Patriot Act, Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin. 

Massie, too, noted the connection.

Real ID is a 2005 George Bush era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it? https://t.co/Nwl5htcLuq

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 14, 2025

Most states require three documents to obtain a REAL ID: proof of identity (a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, or Green Card), proof of a Social Security number or a pay stub from one’s job, and proof of residency (such as a mortgage statement or utility bill). The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will continue to accept other forms of identification, like a U.S. passport, Border Crossing Card, or permanent resident card, for air travel.

Given these alternatives, REAL ID seems a limp weapon in deporting illegal migrants. Is our bureaucracy really in need of more bloat?

Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatalieIrene03