The Real ID Act was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives in January 2005 and has caused a lot of turmoil ever since. Civil libertarians and many political officials have shown their disagreement for the Real ID Act as it expands the government’s power over the private lives of citizens.

But what does the Real ID Act really mean for the rest of us? Well, the most direct effect on US citizens is the creation of the Real Id card. According to the act’s provision’s, each citizen will be required to carry a Real Id card issued by the federal government containing a bio-metric identification device. This is one of the main privacy concerns civil libertarians have expressed about the Real ID Act. Some even think that it may lead to micro chip identification implants.

But the act itself doesn’t apply to U.S. citizens only. It also applies to immigrants and visa seekers. Immigrants may be mandated by immigration judges to provide corroborating evidence for the first time since the country’s inception.

The act will also tighten requirements for asylum applicants and temporary workers.

If you want to learn more about the Real ID Act and how it may affect you in the future, I suggest you visit the Homeland security’s department site at DHS.gov. It’s your duty as a citizen to be well informed about the laws governing your country.