Nuke labs in New Mexico weigh requiring passports for entry

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | October 29, 2015 | Russell Contreras, AP

[CedarDave]

Two nuclear research labs would require visitors to show passports or other forms of identification if New Mexico does not comply with tougher U.S. regulations for driver’s licenses, creating uncertainty in a state that grants IDs to immigrants regardless of their legal status.

Los Alamos National Laboratory, the nation’s premier nuclear weapons lab, said late Wednesday that visitors would need U.S. passports for entry if the state does not start mandating proof of legal U.S. residency for driver’s license applicants, a requirement under the federal REAL ID Act. Sandia Labs also said they would need an alternative government-issued form of identification.

[CedarDave]

The story goes on to say the labs will not honor NM licenses starting January 10 and current licenses will not be honored at airports sometime next year.

(About time - NM Gov. Martinez (R) has been trying to revoke former Rat Gov Richardson's legislation since 2010 but Rats in the state senate have stalled it.)

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

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[Tijeras_Slim]

Great, my base pass expires about then.

[null and void]

Heck, I didn’t even know ISIS issues passports...

[rktman]

Thankfully we can be assured that NOBODY makes fake passports. And, if they do, institute intergalactic background checks. That ought to take care of any problems.

[originalbuckeye]

Why bother? Obama, et al, will be issuing them to all the newly minted ‘citizens’ (illegal aliens) ASAP.

[CedarDave]

Go up to the Cedar Crest PO with an application. They are helpful and friendly, lines are short, and even took a photograph that made me look a bit better than selfies!

[justlurking]

Los Alamos and Sandia are a bit behind the curve.

I’ve already run into a case where a driver’s license wasn’t sufficient ID for a defense contractor to prove I’m in the country legally.

I had to have my passport overnighted to me.

[justlurking]

current licenses will not be honored at airports sometime next year.

This is the big news. NM residents without a passport won't be able to go through the security screening line without getting an "enhanced" screening.

Adults CAN fly without a driver's license. I've done it, after losing mine in the middle of a trip. I explained what happened, and was taken aside for a very personal screening.

[justlurking]

There's more information here:

REAL ID Enforcement in Brief

There's a chart there:

Phase		Enforcement		Notification period	Full Enforcement
1		Restricted areas for DHS/NAC		1/20/14	04/21/14
2		Restricted areas for all Federal facilities & for nuclear power plants		04/21/14	07/21/14
3		Semi-restricted for all Federal facilities		10/20/14	01/19/15
3a		Facility Security Levels 1 and 2		10/20/14	01/19/15
3b		Facility Security Levels 3, 4, and 5		07/13/15	10/10/15
2015 Review and Evaluation
4		Aircraft (Acceptable with 2nd form of ID)		No sooner than 2016

But, NM got an grace period -- which expires on 2016-01-10. Further extension was denied.

If you look on the right side of the URL I posted above, you'll see a list of states and their compliance status. Note that NM has a # beside it. Also, note how many other states have a # -- all of them are in danger of being non-compliant on 2016-01-10 when the grace period ends.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Isn’t that raciss or sumptun?

[LegendHasIt]

Thanks for the ping.

Another for the “Only In New Mexico” file.

[PapaBear3625]

Thankfully we can be assured that NOBODY makes fake passports. And, if they do, institute intergalactic background checks. That ought to take care of any problems.

18 USC § 1543 - Forgery or false use of passport:

Whoever falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, mutilates, or alters any passport or instrument purporting to be a passport, with intent that the same may be used; or

Whoever willfully and knowingly uses, or attempts to use, or furnishes to another for use any such false, forged, counterfeited, mutilated, or altered passport or instrument purporting to be a passport, or any passport validly issued which has become void by the occurrence of any condition therein prescribed invalidating the same—

Shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 25 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate an act of international terrorism (as defined in section 2331 of this title)), 20 years (if the offense was committed to facilitate a drug trafficking crime (as defined in section 929(a) of this title)), 10 years (in the case of the first or second such offense, if the offense was not committed to facilitate such an act of international terrorism or a drug trafficking crime), or 15 years (in the case of any other offense), or both.

Sure, they can offer up a fake passport to gain entry to a federal research facility, and risk 10+ years in federal prison.

[PAR35]

current licenses will not be honored at airports sometime next year.

New York had enough pull to get a waiver. I think Louisiana got one, as well. http://blog.timesunion.com/gettingthere/state-gets-extension-on-using-drivers-license-at-tsa-checkpoints/6983/

[Tijeras_Slim]

Good idea, I don’t know if Tijeras does it. I’d love to get one of the CAC cards, but I’m a lowly contractor.

[pgobrien]

http://www.dhs.gov/real-id-public-faqs
Read this short missive.
Most interesting where you DON’T have to have Real ID

REAL ID does NOT apply to the following:

Entering Federal facilities that do not require a person to present identification
Voting or registering to vote
Applying for or receiving Federal benefits
Being licensed by a state to drive
Accessing Health or life preserving services (including hospitals and health clinics), law enforcement, or constitutionally protected activities (including a defendant’s access to court proceedings)
Participating in law enforcement proceedings or investigations

[CedarDave]

Voting or registering to vote
Applying for or receiving Federal benefits

Prescription for fraud; two areas where it is definitely needed.

Grrr...

[CedarDave]

Location MP 4 on NM-14, right side of highway.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Thanks Dave