User:Msociallyaware17/Real ID Act

Asylum and deportation controversy
Many immigrant and civil rights advocates feel that the changes related to evidentiary standards and the immigration officers' discretion in asylum cases, contained in the Real ID Act, would prevent many legitimate asylum seekers from obtaining asylum. For example, scholars pointed to how the Real ID Act placed more emphasis on applicant account discrepancies to determine asylum seekers as “incredible” and discretion on corroboration requirements, which discount potential trauma-related psychological and other barriers related to persecution that may affect testimony accounts.

IDs and drivers' licenses as identification
In the United States, drivers' licenses are issued by the states, not by the federal government. Additionally, because the United States has no national identification card and because of the widespread use of motor vehicles, drivers' licenses have been used as a de facto standard form of identification within the country. Scholars also point to how in the United States, IDs are increasingly required to access social services and health promoting resources, which may pose access issues for marginalized communities.

Gender
Real ID Act Section 202(c) requires States and U.S. territories to include an individual’s gender on each driver’s license and identification card issued. Under this requirement, states and U.S. territories may offer individuals a gender-neutral “X” marker for people who do not identify as male or female. Additionally, transgender individuals may update their gender based on state and territorial administrative policy requirements. State and territorial policy requirements vary from needing no additional provider certification to requiring additional documentation such as court orders or proof of surgery. However, some scholars point to the ineffectiveness of gender in confirming a person’s identity, therefore questioning the inclusion of gender markers in the Real ID legislation. Currently, all 50 states allow individuals to update their gender to either “male” or “female” and 22 states along with the District of Columbia offer the option for individuals to select gender-neutral markers for driver’s licenses.