INTERNACIONAL
Blue states rallied for illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses ahead of Trump’s REAL ID crackdown
Americans are scrambling to obtain a state-issued REAL ID in order to travel by plane ahead of a federal deadline next month, which comes after states from coast to coast changed their laws surrounding driver’s licenses to permit illegal immigrants to drive.
Americans will need to obtain a REAL ID, which is a federally-compliant driver’s license or other identification that meets higher standards than state-issued licenses, in order to easily travel by air, the Department of Homeland Security explains on its website. Only legal U.S. citizens or residents can obtain the identification card, while valid U.S. passports can also still be used instead of a REAL ID for domestic air travel.
Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 to heighten security requirements for driver’s licenses in response to the attacks on 9/11. Though some states began complying with the law more than a decade ago, enforcement for all states had been repeatedly delayed due to the pandemic, DMV backlogs, as well as some states, such as South Carolina, initially refusing to comply.
The move to officially enforce REAL IDs at the national level for domestic air travel comes after 19 states and Washington, D.C., put laws on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN’S BILL WOULD RIP FEDERAL FUNDS FROM STATES THAT GIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DRIVER’S LICENSES
REAL ID and TSA lines (Reuters/DC DMV)
The states, which stretch from New York and New Jersey to California and Washington state, changed their laws in order to allow illegal immigrants to drive freely to work, while also ensuring they meet driving skill requirements and could obtain car insurance to bolster road safety, various liberal lawmakers and immigrant advocacy groups said as they rallied support for the law changes.
«Expanding access to driver’s licenses is critical for the safety of New Jerseyans and a step toward building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all,» New Jersey Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy, for example, said in 2019 after signing the Garden State’s legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.
LEGAL IMMIGRANT OUTRAGED OVER MINNESOTA OFFERING DRIVER’S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
«Allowing residents the opportunity to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status will decrease the number of uninsured drivers and increase safety on our roads. I thank my partners in the Legislature for sending this important bill to my desk,» he added.
A group of migrants rushes the border wall March 21, 2024, knocking down Texas National Guardsmen in the process. (James Breeden for New York Post/Mega)
Just a few months after New Jersey’s 2021 law change, the state issued 100,000 new permits, a 65% jump compared to the same three-month period in years prior, NJ Spotlight News reported at the time.
BONDI ANNOUNCES NEW LAWSUITS AGAINST STATES ALLEGEDLY FAILING TO COMPLY WITH IMMIGRATION ACTIONS
New Jersey is among the states that have reported long wait times at DMVs as residents scramble to obtain a REAL ID to fly ahead of the May 7 deadline.
The states that allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Washington state had a law on the books allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses since 1993, National Conference of State Legislatures data show, while most states, such as Illinois and California, began changing their laws starting in 2012.
In Massachusetts in 2022, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker vetoed legislation allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, citing that local DMVs did not have the ability to verify the validity of foreign documents and that it would overall weaken the validity of state driver’s licenses.
Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande are lined up for processing by Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
«I cannot sign this legislation because it requires the Registry of Motor Vehicles to issue state credentials to people without the ability to verify their identity. The Registry does not have the expertise or ability to verify the validity of many types of documents from other countries,» Baker said at the time. «Consequently, a standard Massachusetts driver’s license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are.»
Massachusetts ultimately allowed illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses through a ballot initiative.
Domestic air travelers who are in the nation illegally are required to present a valid and up-to-date photo ID to board a flight, and can show documents such as a driver’s license, a current foreign passport, a military ID or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Employment Authorization Card, and other forms of photo IDs, according to various immigrant advocacy groups.
SANCTUARY STATE’S ‘GREEN LIGHT’ LAW IS RED FLAG FOR AMERICANS’ SAFETY, NATIONAL SECURITY: EXPERTS
The Trump administration, which has been on an illegal immigration deportation blitz, revealed in a memo last week that the REAL ID requirement will further crack down on illegal aliens moving freely around the country.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is recognized as President Donald Trump speaks during an event at the White House on April 2. (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)
A Department of Homeland Security memo exclusively obtained by Fox Digital last week outlined that part of the motivation for the Trump administration to enforce the REAL ID law is to prevent those in the country illegally from flying – unless they are looking to self-deport on an international flight.
«Under Biden, illegal aliens used non-compliant IDs from sanctuary cities to board flights, but REAL ID’s higher security standards make it nearly impossible to forge legitimate documents, ensuring only verified travelers can fly,» the memo states.
«This closes the gaping vulnerabilities Biden’s policies created, preventing criminals and potential terrorists from exploiting our aviation system, as seen during 9/11 when fraudulent IDs enabled attacks,» the memo continues.
NEW JERSEY BILL TO LET ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GET DRIVERS’ LICENSES ADVANCES TO GOVERNOR’S DESK
The agency emphasized that the measure prevents people in the country illegally from traveling within the U.S.
«DHS and TSA are clear, the only place an illegal alien should be flying is home. Under Secretary Kristi Noem’s leadership, illegal aliens will be barred from domestic flights, with one exception: illegal aliens self-deporting on international flights will be allowed to board without a REAL ID, encouraging their exit from the U.S.,» it states.
While many conservatives backed the REAL ID Act, both in 2005 and now, some have said it bolsters the oversight «Big Brother» holds over the country.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FLOOD DMVS IN NY AFTER NEW DRIVERS LICENSE LAW TAKES EFFECT
«Evidently, existing ID requirements for American citizens just aren’t adequate now, so Big Brother is forcing us through more hoops for the ‘right’ to travel within our own country,» former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin posted to X.
«If you think REAL ID is about election integrity, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. Someone has lied to you, or you’re engaged in wishful thinking. Please don’t shoot the messenger,» Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., wrote on X last week.
«REAL ID is a 2005 George Bush-era Patriot Act overreach that went completely unenforced until Trump got into office. Let me guess: he’s playing 4D chess and I should just go along with it?» Massie wrote in another post.
TOP TRUMP AGENCY HYPES IMPORTANCE OF REAL ID ENFORCEMENT, CITING ONE KEY REASON
Energy Secretary Chris Wright, President Donald Trump and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum (Reuters)
President Donald Trump, under his first administration, pushed back the REAL ID October 2020 deadline as the pandemic raged. The Biden administration’s DHS established the May 7, 2025, deadline in 2022.
Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary for public affairs, told Fox News Digital in a statement last week: «REAL IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. 81% of air travelers hold REAL ID-compliant or acceptable IDs. DHS will continue to collaborate with state, local, and airport authorities to inform the public, facilitate compliance, curb wait times and prevent fraud.»
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«DHS responds to official correspondence through official channels,» McLaughlin added.
Immigration,Illegal Immigrants,Donald Trump,Politics,New Jersey,New York
Manejos
Khloe Kardashian (d) posa para un selfie con un gondolero durante un paseo en Venecia, Italia, 27 de junio de 2025, un día después de que comenzaran las celebraciones de la boda del fundador de Amazon, Jeff Bezos, y su prometida Lauren Sánchez. El multimillonario tecnológico estadounidense y la presentadora de televisión habrían invitado a unos 200 invitados a sus nupcias en la ciudad italiana. (Italia, Venecia) EFE/EPA/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO
Orlando Bloom sale de su hotel, el viernes 27 de junio de 2025, antes de las esperadas celebraciones de la boda de Jeff Bezos y Lauren Sanchez. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Vista general del Arsenal veneciano, en el segundo día de las festividades de la boda del fundador de Amazon, Jeff Bezos, y la periodista Lauren Sánchez, en Venecia, Italia, 27 de junio de 2025. REUTERS/Yara NardiControles
Un gráfico de Block 9 y Led by Donkeys que muestra a varias figuras políticas y multimillonarios, entre ellos el primer ministro de Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, el CEO de Meta Platforms, Mark Zuckerberg, y el fundador de Amazon, Jeff Bezos, con las palabras «Envíenlos a Marte mientras nosotros festejamos en la Tierra» en él, en el Festival de Glastonbury en Worthy Farm en Pilton, Somerset, Gran Bretaña, 26 de junio de 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
What is the War Powers Act?
UC Berkeley Law professor John Yoo discusses U.S. strikes on Iran and the War Powers Act on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’
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A Senate Democrat’s push to put a check on President Donald Trump’s powers and reaffirm the Senate’s war authority was shut down by lawmakers in the upper chamber Thursday.
Sen. Tim Kaine’s war powers resolution, which would have required Congress to debate and vote on whether the president could declare war, or strike Iran, was struck down in the Senate on a largely party-line vote, save for Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., a staunch advocate of Israel who supported Trump’s strike on the Islamic Republic, and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who has been vocal in his thoughts about congressional war powers in recent days.
Earlier in the week, the Virginia Democrat vowed to move ahead with the resolution despite a fragile ceasefire brokered between Israel and Iran following weekend strikes on the Islamic Republic’s key nuclear facilities that were not given the green-light by Congress.
DEM SENATOR PLOWS AHEAD WITH WAR POWERS RESOLUTION DESPITE CEASEFIRE
The White House said the president’s advisors would urge him to veto Kaine’s resolution. (Reuters)
Kaine argued that the ceasefire gave his resolution more credence and breathing room to properly debate the role that Congress plays when it comes to authorizing both war and attacks abroad.
He said ahead of the vote on the Senate floor that he came to Washington to ensure that the country does not again get into another «unnecessary» war, and invoked the rush to approve war powers for President George W. Bush over two decades ago to engage with Iraq.
«I think the events of this week have demonstrated that war is too big to consign to the decisions of any one person,» Kaine said.
‘NOT CONSTITUTIONAL’: CONGRESS EVOKES NEW WAR POWERS RESOLUTION TO REJECT TRUMP’S STRIKES ON IRAN
Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks during a news conference following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on June 17, 2025. (Getty Images)
Indeed, his resolution became a focal point for a debate that has raged on Capitol Hill since Israel began its bombing campaign against Iran: whether the strikes like those carried out during Operation Midnight Hammer constituted an act of war that required congressional approval, or if Trump’s decision was under his constitutional authority as commander in chief.
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Senate Republicans have widely argued that Trump was well within his purview, while most Senate Democrats raised constitutional concerns about the president’s ability to carry out a strike without lawmakers weighing in.
Experts have argued, too, that Trump was within his executive authority to strike Iran.
The Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the White House, giving lawmakers the sole power to declare war, while the president acts as the commander in chief directing the military.
And nearly two centuries later, at the height of the Vietnam War, the War Powers Resolution of 1973 was born, which sought to further define those roles.
But the most impact lawmakers could have is through the power of the purse, and Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, who plays a large role in controlling the purse strings as the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, had a sharp message against Kaine’s resolution.
McConnell used instances where Democratic presidents over the last three decades have used their authority for limited engagements in Kosovo, Libya, Syria and Yemen, and questioned why «isolationists» would consider the strike on Iran to kneecap its nuclear program a mistake.
«I have not heard the frequent flyers on War Powers resolutions reckon seriously with these questions,» he said. «Until they do, efforts like this will remain divorced from both strategic and constitutional reality.»
INTERNACIONAL
Iran warns of ‘real capabilities’ if Trump doesn’t drop ‘disrespectful’ tone toward supreme leader
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned President Donald Trump Friday to drop what he called a «disrespectful» tone toward Tehran’s supreme leader or face serious consequences.
In a blunt post on X, Araghchi said if Trump truly wants a deal with Iran, he must show respect instead of insulting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Araghchi wrote that Trump should «put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone» toward Khamenei and «stop hurting [Khamenei’s] millions of heartfelt followers.»
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER SLAMS TRUMP JUST DAYS AFTER US STRIKES ON NUCLEAR SITES
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks Thursday in a televised speech under a portrait of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)
Araghchi wrote, «The complexity and tenacity of Iranians is famously known in our magnificent carpets, woven through countless hours of hard work and patience. But as a people, our basic premise is very simple and straightforward: we know our worth, value our independence, and never allow anyone else to decide our destiny.»
Araghchi’s most provocative line came as he mocked Israel’s reliance on the U.S. during the recent military confrontation.
«The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our Missiles,» he wrote, referring to U.S. intervention in striking Iranian nuclear sites.
The jab was a pointed reference to the longstanding U.S. and Israeli alliance and a not-so-subtle attempt to portray Israel as weak and dependent.
The post concluded with a clear threat.
«If Illusions lead to worse mistakes, Iran will not hesitate to unveil its Real Capabilities, which will certainly END any Delusion about the Power of Iran. Good will begets good will, and respect begets respect.»
IRAN’S KHAMENEI LAUNCHES BLISTERING ATTACK ON TRUMP AFTER MIDDLE EAST VISIT
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took to X Friday with a message for President Trump. (Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Araghchi’s broadside comes just days after the war between Iran and Israel ended and less than a week after U.S. airstrikes ordered by Trump destroyed Iran’s key nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
The 12-day conflict ended June 24 under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, yet postwar tensions remain high. Khamenei declared that Tehran had beaten Israel and even dealt Washington a «slap» in the confrontation.
Trump rejected Khamenei’s victory claims as false and «foolish.» He promptly froze any talk of sanctions relief for Iran in response and claimed he personally stopped Khamenei from being killed during the conflict, writing on Truth Social that he refused to let U.S. or Israeli forces «terminate» the ayatollah despite knowing his secret location.
A satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows damage at the Fordow enrichment site in Iran after U.S. strikes last weekend. (Maxar Technologies via AP)
Araghchi also rejected President Trump’s recent claim that new nuclear talks were imminent, telling reporters that «there are no negotiations underway» and that Tehran would make decisions «based on our national interests.»
According to Reuters, the foreign minister flatly denied any plans to meet with U.S. officials next week, contradicting Trump’s earlier remarks suggesting diplomacy was back on track.
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«I wish the leadership of Iran would realize that you often get more with HONEY than you do with VINEGAR,» wrote Trump on Truth Social. «PEACE!!!»
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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