WASHINGTON – Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04) joined House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (TN-07) to introduce the Verifying that All Illegal Aliens Have Legitimate Documents (VALID) Act, to prohibit illegal immigrants from boarding commercial flights into the U.S. with only immigration-issued documents — not the proper state or federal identification required of all Americans. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is leading companion legislation in the Senate. 

“Allowing illegal immigrants to bypass TSA and board commercial flights without a valid form of identification, while American citizens face strict airport security standards, is an outrageous double standard,” said Rep. Owens. “President Biden must put the safety and security of the American people above his open border agenda. The VALID Act closes this loophole, restores common sense, and shuts down the government’s ability to facilitate the travel of illegal immigrants across state lines at taxpayers’ expense.”

“Allowing illegal immigrants to abuse commercial airline travel is unacceptable. While Americans must show proper identification to board their flights, illegal immigrants are not required to do so. Instead, the Biden administration is recklessly allowing migrants to use the CBP One app or even their Border Patrol arrest documents as identification. This puts Americans at risk. Illegal immigrants should have to comply with the same laws as American citizens, especially when it comes to valid identification. Refusing to enforce these laws poses severe national security risks,” said Chairman Green. 

“Every American needs to show ID to enter our country. So why do we make it simpler for illegal immigrants to come in than for our own people? As our nation grapples with an unprecedented invasion at our southern border, the VALID Act resolves to close the loopholes that have allowed 200,000 illegal immigrants into the country unchecked. The Biden administration’s policies have blatantly facilitated this crisis, encouraging illegal immigration and compromising our nation’s security,” said Senator Lee. 

“Shortly after 9/11 the U.S. Congress, through the REAL ID Act, recognized the importance of establishing certain security standards for identification documents to fly on commercial aircraft,” said Chad Wolf, former acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Executive Director of the America First Policy Institute. “Each presidential administration since 9/11 has worked diligently to bring more security to our skies. Unfortunately, the Biden administration’s policy of allowing illegal aliens to use documents with unverifiable and unvetted information to board commercial aircraft defies common sense and congressional will and makes it easier for illegal aliens to travel than U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. The administration’s unlawful use of the CBP One app to mass parole inadmissible aliens into American communities raises both legal and public safety concerns. The VALID Act is an important step in reining in these abuses and ensuring the safety of the American people.”

Original cosponsors of the legislation are Reps. Clay Higgins (R-La.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.), Jake Ellzey (R-Texas), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Dale Strong (R-Ala.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Bob Good (R-Va.), Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Jeff Duncan (R- S.C.), Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.), Jefferson Van Drew (R-N.J.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and John Rose (R-Tenn.).