Ok for real, what is a REAL ID?

Explain It to Me

Vox Media Podcast Network

Education, Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.4 • 7.9K Ratings

🗓️ 2 March 2025

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Listener Tessa was at the airport and noticed that the REAL ID deadline had been extended — yet again — to May 2025. Why does it keep happening? Will REAL ID will ever become a thing? Team Explain It to Me goes on a reporting journey to bring her an answer nearly 20 years in the making. If you have a question, please give us a call at 1-800-618-8545, or you can fill out this form. This episode was produced by Carla Javier and Sofi LaLonde, edited by Jorge Just, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. READ MORE: Real IDs, explained Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Friendly reminder, your taxes are due soon. Sorry to scare you, but it's true. If you are dreading April 15th, like the rest of America, listen to this week's episode of Net Worth and Chill where I cover all things taxes and show you that, yes, it can be confusing, but I promise we can get through it together. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on the Your Rich BFF YouTube channel.
0:20.5	How did One DA make the decision to walk away?
0:23.6	It just felt very uncomfortable to me.
0:26.3	I think everyone has to make that personal decision for themselves.
0:30.2	I'm Preet Bharara.
0:31.6	And this week, former Westchester County DA Mimi Roka joins me on my podcast.
0:36.7	Stay tuned with Preet to discuss the politics and politicking that prompted her not to seek re-election.
0:43.3	The episode is out now. Search and follow, stay tuned with Preet, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:52.2	Is it even necessary? Why is it keep getting pushed?
0:58.8	Hey, y'all. You're listening to Explain It to Me, the show where you call with your question
1:03.3	and then book your ticket to Answer Town. I'm John Glyn Hill, and today's question is nearly
1:09.7	a quarter century in the making.
1:12.2	Hi, my name is Tessa, and I would like to know what on earth is going on with the implementation
1:17.4	and enforcement of real ID. I know the law was passed back in, I think, 2005 in response to 9-11.
1:25.7	I was just at the airport last night and I saw that enforcement was
1:29.2	delayed until 2025. So what on earth is happening in the last 20 years that this law keeps
1:36.0	getting delayed? Do we just throw up our hands in the air and give up? Is this sunk cost
1:40.4	fallacy? Let me know. That's right. Today, TSA stands for the truth-seeking agency.
1:47.3	The debate over real ID is real.
1:50.8	It's been that way for 20 years.
1:52.7	So what's taking so long?
1:55.7	That story starts in the aftermath of 9-11.
	...

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