Cruz Hammers Biden Administration For Letting Illegal Aliens Board Flights With Fake IDs

Calling out the blatant double standard, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is now demanding the Biden administration is letting illegal aliens evade federal photo ID requirements to board airplanes in the U.S., while still forcing American citizens and legal residents to comply.

Cruz hammered the policy in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and demanded further information.

“While Americans must present an acceptable form of identification to fly, or at least have their identities confirmed, TSA is permitting illegal aliens without ID to opt for an alternate identity verification process utilizing the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “CBP One” app,” writes Cruz.

“The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) process effectively takes illegal aliens at their word on their names and dates of birth, potentially allowing terrorists, cartel members, and other criminals to assume new identities, obtain DHS-issued fake IDs, and fly out of U.S. airports. In effect, TSA is applying one standard for verifying the identities of American citizens, and another, weaker standard for ‘verifying' the identities of illegal aliens,” Cruz writes.

Cruz detailed specific problems with the double standard.

“The CBP One app allows an alien traveling to the U.S. to submit biometric and biographic information—including a live facial photograph, name, and date of birth—to CBP in advance of arrival at certain ports of entry.  Once the alien arrives at the port of entry, if he does not have a passport or other way to prove his identity, CBP will routinely parole the person into the U.S. under the self-provided name and date of birth. One of many problems with this process is that other agencies like TSA and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) later rely on the unverified CBP One data as if it were verified,” Cruz notes.

“For example, if the paroled alien later tries to fly out of a U.S. airport, TSA may use his unverified name and date of birth in CBP One to verify his identity, even though the person may in fact be a terrorist or other criminal traveling under a fake identity. Similarly, ICE may use that CBP One data to issue an official identity card to the alien under the self-provided name and date of birth. The result is DHS may be facilitating criminals obtaining false identities and allowing them to board planes under those fictious identities. Meanwhile, American citizens must typically present a passport or official government ID to prove their identities and board a plane,” Cruz writes.

Cruz concluded the letter by asking Mayorkas to answer the specific questions.

1. What other forms of “acceptable alternate identification” has TSA identified in coordination with its DHS counterparts?

a. What are the “special circumstances” under which such alternative identification may be used?

b. What “acceptable alternate identification” may be used at TSA checkpoints by aliens without an acceptable form of identification? 

2. Do TSA's acceptable identification policies impose a disparate cost burden on American citizens relative to illegal immigrants? 

3. Of the 2,907,378 passengers screened by TSA on November 26, 2023: 

a. How many went through an alternate identity verification process via the CBP One app? 

b. How many went through a credential authentication technology (CAT) equipped identity verification checkpoint and of those how many opted out of the CAT? 

4. Detail all known uses of ICE Secure Docket Cards by entities within and outside DHS

It does not appear that Mayorkas provided the information by the state deadline.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.