What’s the Big Deal With REAL ID in Missouri?
Some see the new security standard as a threat
Missourians have long cherished our independence and healthy skepticism of federal overreach. We’ve seen it all too often in the last few years. That instinct is admirable. But why all the controversy around the REAL ID Act? Let’s take a look at what it does and doesn’t do.
Does it create a national database?
Recent commentary questioning REAL ID as a threat to privacy and an attempt to create a “nationalized ID system” fundamentally misrepresents what the law is, how it works, and what it doesn’t do.
Let’s be clear: REAL ID does not create a national database of driver’s license records. That’s not just opinion — it’s written into the law. States maintain full control over their records. No federal agency can access state databases en masse. What the law does encourage is limited and secure information-sharing among states to prevent fraud and duplication, something law enforcement and homeland security experts have long supported.
Source: DHS FAQ – “Does REAL ID create a national database?”
Is it a national ID card?
REAL ID is not a “national ID card.” Every REAL ID-compliant license is issued by the state, not the federal government. It looks and functions like a regular driver’s license. States choose whether to participate. Citizens choose whether to apply for a compliant ID or not. All that changes is whether your license can be used to board a commercial flight or enter a federal building.
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures
What about biometric tracking?
Some opponents argue the program involves biometric tracking. That is false. It does not require any new biometric data such as fingerprints or facial recognition. It only requires a standard digital photograph — the same kind you’ve had on your license for years — to prevent counterfeiting.
Source: GAO Report on Implementation (2020)
Will it break the bank?
Concerns about cost and federal intrusion are also overstated. The federal government has provided over $300 million in grants to help states implement the law. States retain the right to issue both REAL ID-compliant and non-compliant licenses. No one is forced to get one.
Source: DHS Grant Funding Summary
Is it intrusive?
What critics call “intrusive,” the 9/11 Commission called essential. The terrorists exploited weak identity standards across states to obtain multiple fraudulent driver’s licenses. REAL ID closes those gaps by ensuring each applicant is who they say they are — and only gets one ID. That’s not a federal power grab. It’s smart, cooperative security.
Source: 9/11 Commission Report
We should always question government overreach, but we should also separate valid concern from fearmongering. Truth is, it’s not the slippery slope to surveillance. It’s a reasonable, measured response to real vulnerabilities.
Missouri was among the last states to implement the law. Now that we have, let’s approach it with facts in hand and our eyes open — we have bigger issues to worry about.
–Dwight Widaman
