The REAL ID ACT of 2005 implements an international biometric ID system that threatens religious freedom, privacy and personal security, states' rights to issue identification, our nation's sovereignty and will most certainly cause an ID theft pandemic. 

On March 1^st, 2007, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its proposed rules for state compliance to REAL ID. The €śNotice of Proposed Rulemaking€ť €“ NPRM, requires states to adopt international identification standards set by two international organizations, the AAMVA and the ICAO. For years, the AAMVA has worked with state, federal and international agencies to establish international driver's license/ID card (DL/ID card) standards that utilize biometrics, such as digital fingerprinting, facial image recognition, etc.  

NPRM also requires states to adopt ICAO's (International Civil Aviation Organization) €śbiometric data interchange formats€ť for REAL ID photos. All REAL ID photos will be compatible with international biometric facial image recognition systems. Facial recognition creates a digital map of one's face so that a computer/surveillance camera can potentially identify the individual without ID documents.  

The ICAO is affiliated with the UN, tracks the movements of international travelers and is charged with the design of international biometric e-passports being adopted by almost all nations. REAL ID is INTERNATIONAL ID. 

States and nations have adopted common biometric standards set by the ICAO and the AAMVA, but global biometrics cannot work unless nations link their databases containing personal-biometric information. Once linked, it will be possible for a surveillance system in Germany to identify a person, whose personal-biometric information was collected in Montana. As a result, REAL ID also requires states to link databases, setting the stage to global data sharing.

An international biometric system requires three things:

1. Common standards (ICAO-AAMVA)
2. Biometric enrollment (passports, DL/ID cards, military ID, birth records, etc.)
3. International personal-biometric database linking-sharing

DHS intends to link databases. DHS official, Robert Mocny of US-VISIT, declares We're starting a process of biometrifying (sic) a good portion of the world population.€ť and €śinformation sharing is appropriate around the world,€ť and they plan to create a €śGlobal Security Envelope of internationally shared biometric data that would permanently link individuals with biometric ID, personal information held by governments and corporations€ť (re: Government Computer News 2005-2007).

The DL/ID card is considered by many to be de facto ID, controlling our ability to buy, sell and move. REAL ID, biometric ID and database linking violate the First, Fourth and Tenth Amendments. Global database linking will certainly result in an ID theft pandemic. DHS-TSA can't even keep track of computer hard drives. How are they to protect our personal information when shared with other nations?  

An international system of identification, that links one physically (through biometrics) to the control of financial transactions, threatens the religious beliefs of millions. The illegal searching of personal €śeffects€ť and €śpapers€ť without warrant or probable cause violates protected privacy and personal security. The Tenth Amendment protects states' rights to issue ID and prevents federal tyranny by keeping those powers close to the people. The federal-international hijacking of state ID means that people lose access to the government entity that administers control of the ID. In this case, the ID document has potential control over our ability to buy, sell and move.  

Once databases are linked, under REAL ID or other legislation, U.S. citizens will be PERMANENTLY enrolled in a system that wrecks their constitutional liberties and their constitutional rule over their government. As a result, REAL ID, biometric ID, database linking and the actions of DHS are all unconstitutional.

The federal government's plan, for state-issued biometric ID, dates back to the €śCommercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986€ť followed by the €śIllegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996€ť long before 9/11. Facial recognition is only about 30% accurate making it practically useless for identifying terrorists (who must also voluntarily enroll to provide a useable facial image). Biometric companies have been involved in many lawsuits dealing with misrepresentation of products, corporate governance, fraud, trading practices, etc. An industry insider has verified these claims. Despite these facts ex-government security heads (like George Tenet, former CIA Dir.) occupy seats on biometric company Boards, and government agencies continue to issue contracts for biometric products. REAL ID is about control and the fulfillment of an international ID system, not national security. 

The NPRM exposed the real intentions of this system. Consequently DHS has a limited amount of time before the American people understand what is happening. DHS has gone into full throttle mode to enroll the world in a biometric ID system. Passports are now needed for Canadian travel and those passports are biometric e-passports.  Northern border-states are encouraged to adopt a biometric-passport-DL/ID card hybrid. Senators are proposing biometrics for Social Security Cards and mandating REAL ID-only cards for employment verification, effectively forcing all citizens to have biometric REAL ID.   

REAL ID, biometric ID and required database linking present the greatest threats to our nation and our freedom. State and federal laws must be changed and DHS must be placed back under the control of the people before it is too late. 

Therefore, lawmakers are encouraged to defend our freedom and change the laws. Citizens should contact their U.S. and state lawmakers, religious, privacy and political contacts and tell them to oppose REAL ID, biometrics and database linking. Individual voices do matter and millions of voices saying the same thing matter even more.