Real IDs are a new form of identification that will be needed for domestic travel. Want to board a flight? You’ll need a passport or a driver’s license that proves legal residence in the United States. But this requirement sets a dangerous precedent.
Real ID would essentially become a form of national ID that could be used to further immigration enforcement. This creates a dangerous environment for undocumented people living in the country and this is especially dangerous for our community as the Black immigrant population grows.
According to a 2022 Pew Research study, one-in-ten Black people living in the United States are immigrants from Africa. Our people will be policed even more under this act.
This new form of national ID mirrors another point in history. During slavery, enslaved people would need “slave passes” and “free papers” to move about states. These were early forms of state ID and registries designed to control our freedom of movement. Real IDs could function the same.
The system will always create new ways to criminalize Black people, but it is important for us not to back down and stick together. We must help support our immigrant brothers and sisters against the system.