Real ID Deadline Extension Leads to Jokes About Flying Cars, Mars Mission

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Monday that it was delaying the deadline for REAL ID enforcement for air travelers, with the extension leading many to joke about the situation.

Congress first passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The new regulations require all travelers 18 years or older to have a "REAL ID-compliant driver's license or identification card, state-issued enhanced driver's license, or another TSA-acceptable form of identification" to be used at airport security, The Wall Street Journal reported.

However, on Monday, the DHS said on its website that the enforcement deadline for travelers to obtain these IDs has been pushed back another 24 months, from May 3, 2023, to May 7, 2025.

Following the announcement, many online joked that "flying cars" and "humans on Mars" will take place before the new ID will actually be required.

"Which will happen first, flying cars, humans on mars, or REAL ID enforcement?" asked user Tal Kopan on Twitter on Monday.

"The real ID I waited in line for at the Rhode Island Ave. DMV like 5 years ago will now be expired before this takes effect," Twitter user Niels Lesniewski tweeted.

Meanwhile, user David Bell joked, "Real ID is the governments's version of the $8 blue check mark."

"Real ID going to happen when Google kills off Cookies," user David Teicher tweeted.

"The year is 8192. The US Sec of Galactic Security announces an extension of the REAL ID implementation deadline. No one remembers where this tradition originated, but every year it attracts many journalists from all over the Solar System," user Patrick Matthews wrote.

Meanwhile, user Mitchell Krisnik highlighted the amount of time the bill has already taken, tweeting, "Just to put the timeline into perspective: The bill that created REAL ID was signed by President George W Bush."

With the announcement of the deadline extension, DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas, said, "DHS continues to work closely with U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories to meet REAL ID requirements. This extension will give states needed time to ensure their residents can obtain a REAL ID-compliant license or identification card. DHS will also use this time to implement innovations to make the process more efficient and accessible. We will continue to ensure that the American public can travel safely."

DHS said that the extension is in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as driver licensing agencies struggled to meet the demand and most states had switched to appointment-only consultations.

Newsweek reached out to the DHS for additional comment.

Update 12/05/22, 1:37 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.

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