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THE
APPROACHING
DEADLINE FOR
THE FEDERAL
"REAL ID" ACT TO
TAKE EFFECT, HAS
SENT A SURGE OF
NEW MEXICANS TO
PASSPORT
OFFICES.
PEOPLE WORRIED
THAT THEIR NEW
MEXICO DRIVERS
LICENSES WILL NO
LONGER LET THEM
BOARD AIRLINERS,
OR ENTER
FEDERAL
BUILDINGS HAVE
BOOKED UP
APPOINTMENTS
WELL PAST THE
JANUARY 15th
DEADLINE .
NEWS 13'S KAYLA
AYRES IS IN THE
NEWSPLEX WITH
THE LATEST ...
KAYLA?
JESSICA... NEW
MEXICO POST
OFFICES ARE THE
ONLY PLACES TO
PROCESS
APPLICATIONS
FOR PASSPORTS.
AND POST OFFICE
OFFICIALS SAY -
YES, THEY'RE
DEFINITELY
SEEING A SPIKE.
"...
i need you to sign it
right here..."
DARLENE POOL IS
AMONG THOSE
RUSHING TO GET A
PASSPORT.
FOR HER - IT'S
FOR A TRIP TO
COLORADO.
"...
what would be the
total to expedite it?..."
DARLENE IS
AMONG MANY NEW
MEXICANS
WONDERING WHAT
WILL HAPPEN... IF
NEW MEXICO
FAILS TO MEET
THE JANUARY 15-
TH DEADLINE TO
COMPLY WITH THE
FEDERAL "REAL
ID" ACT.
STATE I-D'S AND
DRIVERS
LICENSES THAT
DON'T MEET
FEDERAL
STANDARDS...
WILL NOT BE
ALLOWED FOR
AIRLINE TRAVEL,
AND ACCESS TO
FEDERAL
BUILDINGS.
"...
i would have to get a
passport to get back
into new mexico..."
THAT'S
DARLENE'S FEAR.
BUT THE JANUARY
DEADLINE
AFFECTS
STATES.
IT WON'T AFFECT
INDIVIDUALS
UNTIL DECEMBER
OF 2014.
EVEN SO -- POST
OFFICES THAT
ISSUE PASSPORTS
ARE BOOKED
WEEKS IN
ADVANCE.
"...
being the sole
provider for passports
here... we have seen
an influx in the number
of customers that are
requesting passports
in the last month..."
ACCORDING TO
THE GOVERNOR...
THE BIGGEST
REASON WHY NEW
MEXICO FAILS TO
COMPLY WITH THE
FEDERAL ACT ... IS
BECAUSE OF THE
STATE LAW THAT
GRANTS DRIVERS
LICENSES TO
ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS.
STATE
LEGISLATORS
WILL CONSIDER
REPEALING THAT
LAW IN THE
UPCOMING
LEGISLATIVE
SESSION.
IN THE MEANTIME
... FOR THOSE
WANTING TO GET
A PASSPORT
QUICKLY... IT'S
GOING TO TAKE
SOME TIME.
"...
here at the manzano
station the next
available appointment
is i believe january 16-
th ..."
DARLENE POOL'S
PASSPORT WON'T
BE IN FOR
SEVERAL WEEKS.
"...
i thought i'd rather be
safe than sorry
..."
A SPOKESPERSON
FOR THE
ALBUQUERQUE
POLICE
DEPARTMENT
SAYS - AS A
PRECAUTION - ANY
APD EMPLOYEE
WHO DOES NOT
HAVE A PASSPORT
WILL NOT BE
SCHEDULED FOR
OUT-OF-STATE
TRAVEL.
THOSE
EMPLOYEES WILL
TRAVEL BY CAR
OR TRAIN IF
NECESSARY.
BACK TO YOU.
THANKS, KAYLA.
THE DEADLINE TO
COMPLY WITH THE
FEDERAL ACT -
WHICH WAS
PASSED IN 2005 -
HAS BEEN PUSHED
BACK A NUMBER
OF TIMES.
SOME ARE
EXPECTING THE
U-S DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND