Global IDs and national IDs have long been advocated as a means to enhance national security, unmask potential terrorists, and guard against illegal immigrants. They are in use in many countries around the world including: most European countries, Malaysia , Singapore , and Thailand . The types of card, their functions, and privacy safeguards vary widely. The United States and the United Kingdom have continued to debate the merits of adopting national ID cards.
Jim Williams, Director of the US VISIT program, feels strongly that the development of a global identification system would enhance travel by reducing long wait lines, illegal immigration, and government fees. However, the proposal did not specify how the global program would be implemented. But ,by partnering with several DHS agencies (namely, Customs and Border Protection, Transportation Safety Administration, US Customs and Immigration), the global system would likely better coordinate with nations to fight terrorism. Williams used an analogy of al-Qaeda members and sleeper cells in addition to the operatives that attacked on 9/11 to submarines: the members must come to the surface to kill. “In order for them to do what they want to do, they have to travel,” Williams said.
Biometrics has again been suggested, as has been recommended in previous WAR Reports. The UK is testing a program in which fingerprints and iris scans can be tied to national ID cards. Supporters stated it that such a card could help reduce immigration fraud. Hank Roeder , VP of Operations for the National Business Travel Association, said, ?Any program that can successfully ease both financial burdens and wait times for travelers will be welcomed with open arms.
The issue has been and will continue to be debated until the final solution is introduced. The debate remains in the international spotlight; several nations are considering implementing such systems. In the US, there have been many other proposals for the creation of a national identification system, some through the standardization of state driver’s licenses. To that end, the US Congress recently passed the REAL ID Act of 2005, which mandates federal requirements for driver’s licenses. Critics argue that it would make driver’s licenses into de facto national IDs. However, using the state issued driver?s license as a national ID card makes sense. It has already been mandated in legislation, and it will avoid reinventing the wheel.
