Benefits of More Secure State-Issued Documents

The nation will have in place more reliable safeguards against terrorism and identity theft while still maintaining individual privacy. Specific benefits include:

• Helps cut down on identity fraud by establishing layers of security to ensure that identity documents only go to the people they actually belong to
  
• Enables states to validate the identity documents provided by applicants and check to see if applicants hold multiple licenses in different states in order to evade law enforcement and public safety officials
  
• Makes it easier for law enforcement officials to detect documents that have been falsified
  
• Safeguards personal information
  
• Ensures that states and territories retain their function as issuing authorities
  
• Makes it more difficult to tamper with or counterfeit driver’s licenses
  
• Distinguishes licenses issued using secure standards from those issued according to lesser standards
  
• Helps law enforcement officials identify individuals with limited durations of stay in the United States