Does Ron Paul’s libertarian warning about REAL ID have merit? Experts weigh in

Fox News is offering special access to select articles and other premium content for free by simply joining their platform with an email address. By agreeing to their Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, users can gain access to exclusive content that covers a wide range of topics. One such topic that has been making headlines recently is the implementation of REAL ID requirements across the country.

While many public policy leaders believe that REAL ID requirements will bolster national security, there are some libertarian critics who argue that it could come at a cost to individual liberty and lead to bigger government. According to these critics, REAL ID essentially sets up a de facto national ID system and treats law-abiding Americans with suspicion.

In 2005, libertarian Rep. Ron Paul strongly opposed the move to implement REAL ID, arguing that it constituted a national ID card with no limitations on the type of information that could be stored on it, posing a threat to American civil liberties. Despite being signed into law, the implementation of REAL ID was postponed multiple times, including during the first Trump administration.

This year, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have set a new deadline for obtaining a REAL ID by May 7. This ID will be required to board domestic commercial airline flights and access some federal facilities like courthouses and military bases.

Policy experts have differing views on REAL ID. Simon Hankinson, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, believes that requiring additional documentation for a REAL ID will help crack down on terrorism and illegal activity in the U.S. He argues that it will prevent illegal immigrants from moving about the country unchecked, citing the Sept. 11 attacks as an example.

On the other hand, Jim Harper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, sees REAL ID as a national identification system that treats American citizens as suspects before they have committed any crimes. He believes that it expands the government’s ability to control and monitor its citizenry.

Ultimately, the decision to obtain a REAL ID or not rests with individual citizens. While the government may continue to enforce REAL ID requirements, citizens in most states will still have other options available to them. It remains to be seen how this debate over REAL ID will unfold in the coming months.