My father frequently told me and my siblings that the United States is special because there is no requirement for a citizen to carry any personal identification papers. He would be distressed by the present day eroding of this freedom, spawned by the issues of immigration, terrorism and the challenge to social norms such as DEI.
There are some indications that a national identity card, to be carried at all times, may be a plan of the Department of Homeland Security for the near future. In 2005, the U.S. Congress passed a bill known as the REAL ID Act, which established uniform standards for the design and content of state drivers’ licenses and delegated authority to the Department of Homeland Security to implement and regulate compliance with the act. One aspect of the act involves requirements for linking of license and ID card databases. Also, the law requires noncitizens to register with the U.S. government and carry proof of registration at all times.
The dilemma is that U.S. citizens, who are not required to carry ID, may still need to prove they are not noncitizens. This necessity may result in the issuing of national ID cards for U.S. citizens. However, such an action would be in opposition of the fourth amendment to the Constitution that reads in part, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…” The creeping demand to carry ID papers would infringe upon a citizen’s right to privacy and freedom of movement.
An exception pertains to law enforcement personnel and the Department of Homeland Security. Our local police forces have traditionally worn name tags and insignia representing the source of their authority. Hidden identities of those who have the power to arrest or detain people, for example those who are wearing masks and displaying no tags, is a violation of citizens’ rights.
“The message that Congress is sending to the executive branch and enshrining into statute is unmistakable: Secret police forces patrolling our neighborhoods … in anonymity and shielded from accountability, are unacceptable. They do not belong in a democracy such as the United States,” said the ACLU in 2021. They must be responsible for their actions.
People must be able to recognize the difference between a vigilante and one who is a legitimate law enforcement agent acting within the purview of citizens’ rights. To meet the demand for law enforcement and Homeland Security to identify themselves, National Guard personnel deployed to the D.C. need to be dressed in Army camouflage with black vests displaying the service member’s name and rank, with “U.S. Army” and the D.C. flag on the front, and “D.C. National Guard” on the back. IDs acknowledge the source of authority and the responsibility of the individuals, as well as inform citizens.
Therefore, decisions about the appropriateness of requiring identification documents depend upon the purpose as well as the penchant for abuse of power and authority. If a person is part of an entity of power like the police, the military or the Congress, for example, then it is important that they have an ID — in the name of transparency and the just use of their power and influence.
However, if the purpose is to control the movement and actions of the general public, then universal ID’s are a violation of dignity, privacy and freedom. Also, a citizen without the government-issued ID would be a nonperson with no rights to exist or the belong in the country. This would invite abuse and injustice. In addition, required IDs set the stage for an autocracy or a dictatorship.
In the U.S., we need neither a Real ID or a Department of Homeland Security issued ID, nor do we need racial profiling, Christian nationalism or any other exclusionary document or dogma. We need only to cultivate trust. The ID of a U.S. citizen is simply their participation in the life of a democracy. No paper needed!
John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds
Crossing. He can be reached at johndbuttrick@gmail.com.