Grounded (Written by Oakley R. Robins, May 7, 2025)

Grounded

By Oakley R. Robins

Beginning Today, May 7, 2025, those seeking to take flight may encounter yet another undue hurdle,
one that additionally strikes worry into some of the most vulnerable minority members in our nation.
Today the deadline for implementation of the 2005 REAL ID Act is reached and with it, REAL ID is
required if you want to take to the skies from here on out. So, what is REAL ID, how do you get one and
why is this such a worry for millions?

Amidst a contentious opening session months into President George W. Bush’s second term, the
president signed into law a bill aimed at creating overarching federal standards for driver’s licenses and
identification cards, but ultimately manifested in a number of provisions considered unnecessary for
many and in the state of Washington, the standards for a REAL-ID compliant Enhanced Identification
Card include an in-person appointment as a requirement and for the applicant to present proof of
residency, citizenship, identity AND social security number. This is a massive increase in scrutiny from
the requirements for a standard ID, which simply requires proof of identity and this is on top of a much
higher financial cost to the applicant. This presents numerous barriers to rural and elderly voters and
fills some demographics with an increasingly familiar fear of being locked out of the process entirely.

Another worrisome prospect for millions of Americans is that as a piece of federal legislation, the
implementation of the REAL ID Act is left to federal agencies to enforce—specifically, the Department of
Homeland Security—and with recent battles over naming status and gender recognition heating up in
Congress as well as other rhetorical battlegrounds, many Americans who are already politically
vulnerable see the increased scrutiny not only as additionally burdensome on their day-to-day lives, but
potentially a sign of worse to come.

One group that sees danger ahead is the nearly ten million out-and-about transgender Americans, who
have already experienced a number of setbacks since the beginning of the incumbent administration,
namely the alteration of U.S. passports to only field two gender options, with the option displayed
corresponding to one’s sex assigned at birth. This provision already makes it nearly impossible for trans
Americans to leave the country, but this antagonism from the federal government toward the
transgender community serves, for many, as a rattling and a warning that if standards for REAL ID are in
the hands of DHS, then there may be cause for concern that at a moment’s notice those standards could
be amended in a similar fashion to passports, invalidating millions of identification cards and punting the
issue of enforcement to the states.

Besides, even if one isn’t a member of this vulnerable minority class, there is still reason to feel anxious
about a high number of onerous restrictions that require one to have the transportation and the time to
make an appointment, the unnecessary swirl of matching identifying documents and be able to afford to
pay a hiked cost in the face of an incoming recession. Especially, given the fact that if you as a citizen
don’t take the initiative yourself to arrange the process for a new “REAL” ID, then you will no longer be
able to fly. Starting when? Starting now, in fact. You are effectively and literally grounded.

So, what options do you have as a resident of Washington state? For the moment, every Washingtonian,
regardless of gender identity (this includes nonbinary people), is still able to book an appointment to

obtain an EID that complies with federal REAL ID standards. You’ll need to book an appointment online
and be prepared to bring proof of citizenship, name, identity, address, as well as your Social Security
card (you’ll need the number), as well as $96 for a six-year card and name-change documents if the
citizenship and naming documents don’t match. Afterwards, it should take around two weeks before
you’ll receive your new EID in the mail. It is important for folks without an EID to remember they can still
travel by other means of public transit (for now) but will be unable to fly.

Ultimately, what seems to be the most pervasive element of this story is how little communication is
coming from the federal government regarding the new standards, with advertising for the change only
revving up to speed a matter of weeks ago. It not only creates a panic about a process that is supposedly
routine, but it has those fearful for the future of all Americans increasingly worried that the government
marches in silence.