With the May 7 deadline for Real ID looming large, Illinois residents have found themselves stuck in queues that snake around city blocks, a sight that has become all too familiar at DMV centers statewide. In a flurry of activity and anticipation, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has been quick to offer assurances, affirming to WTTW that the issuance of Real IDs would persist beyond the deadline.
According to CBS Chicago, Giannoulias has steered efforts for months to streamline the Real ID process, setting up a Loop supercenter solely dedicated to its issuance. Despite the chaos, the secretary has stated that residents without Real IDs by May 7 "probably get a warning, maybe fill out some paperwork," but emphasized they will not be booted from flights – a two-year enforcement period from Homeland Security offering a temporary reprieve.
Giannoulias had to confront a disturbing sentiment among residents: some stand in line, driven not just by the requirement but by a deeper fear of displacement; a profound concern over their legitimacy as American citizens. "The amount of people who are coming because they’re worried about being deported or not being American citizens, that fear factor is real," he told WTTW. To cope with the high demand, the state has extended the hours of its Real ID Saturday DMVs program and the Lifespan of the Real ID supercenter until at least the end of May, ensuring residents that, "we will be issuing Real IDs for the foreseeable future, probably forever."
