Identity documents in the United States
More recently, various trusted traveler programs have been opened to the public in the United States, including TSA Precheck, SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST (Free and Secure Trade), and Global Entry.
They now are used in a wider scope of activities, such as for obtaining credit and other regulated financial services in banking and investments.
The SSN was created to ensure accurate reporting of a worker's wages to the Social Security Administration.
[5] Many organizations, universities, and corporations historically used SSNs to uniquely identify their customer or student populations.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as the Buckley Amendment, required changes that eliminated the use of the SSN as an identifier for a student.
Other laws require the SSN be associated with interest-bearing accounts, interest-paying loans, most public assistance programs, and state-issued identification, e.g. driver's licenses.
In addition to verifying driving privileges, drivers' licenses are used to purchase automobile insurance or during a police traffic stop and serve as the primary form of identity for American adults.
As of September 2019, at least 14 states and the District of Columbia offer a third, gender-neutral option beyond "male" and "female"[7] to serve people with nonbinary gender identities.
[8] In some states, such as California, failure to produce an identification document upon citation for any traffic infraction (such as riding a bicycle on the wrong side of a street) is sufficient justification for full custodial arrest.
One of the more-controversial aspects of the Act involves requirements for linking of license and ID card databases.
For many years, passports were not required for U.S. citizens to re-enter from countries near the United States (including Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and most Caribbean and Central American nations.)
In light of this, and given the country's immense size and the great distances which the average citizen lives from an international border, passport possession in the United States had remained relatively low.
[11] However, in response to recommendations in the 9/11 Commission Report, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security now requires proof of citizenship for people entering the United States from neighboring countries.
This requirement is known as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, and was implemented in stages: By law, an unexpired U.S. passport (or passport card) is conclusive proof of U.S. nationality (though not necessarily citizenship) and has the same force and effect as proof of United States nationality as certificates of naturalization or of citizenship, if issued to a U.S. citizen for the full period allowed by law.
[12] The main purpose of the U.S. passport card is to provide a more convenient wallet-sized identity and travel document for citizens who want to carry an official federal ID and for those who live near a land border.
Citizenship and Immigration Services has indicated that the U.S. passport card may be used in the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (also known as the I-9) process.
[17] The passport card is considered a "List A" document that may be presented by newly hired employees during the employment eligibility verification process to show work authorized status.
Members of the military and employees of the Department of Defense receive identity documents based on their status.
Any alien who fails to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall upon conviction for each offense be fined not to exceed $100 or be imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.
Federal, state, and local governments and agencies typically issue identification cards for their employees.
