Minnesota is requiring its citizens to carry what is known as a REAL ID. This is a federal document that will allow you to travel by air domestically and visit federal facilities. However, this new requirement may cause a burden to those who are already facing challenges.
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HOST: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
ANCHOR Chantel SinGs: Today, an incident at a Hennepin County library has some community members concerned. Plus, are you ready for the real ID deadline? And, we hear about a new space to learn about pollinators in Mankato. I'm Chantel SinGs.
Some community activists are calling on Hennepin County to sever ties with a private company handling security for its public libraries. A video posted on Facebook in late March shows a shirtless Native American man handcuffed to a fence outside of the Franklin Library in Minneapolis. People can be seen pouring milk and water in his eyes. Community members say a security guard slammed him to the ground, sprayed him with mace, and handcuffed him to a fence. Friends say the man violated a trespassing order and that the guard used excessive force. Community members have been holding daily protests since the incident.
Coming up, do you have your real ID? As the deadline approaches, Reporter Deanna Standing Cloud asks who should get it and looks at questions and concerns about the new technology.
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Emma Needham: If you're flying anywhere this spring, you'll want to double-check your ID. Starting May 7, 2025, the federal government will require residents 18 years of age and older to have either a REAL ID or a valid passport to board domestic flights or enter certain federal buildings.
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Emma Needham: In Minnesota, the Department of Public Safety says the window to apply for a REAL ID and receive it before the deadline has effectively closed. But that doesn't mean you should wait. Officials are still urging residents to begin the process now, citing long appointment wait times and required documentation that can take time to gather.
Simone Rendon: My ID expired 'cause it was my birthday. I went and got all the forms and the woman behind the counter says, 'Oh, do you wanna do a REAL ID?' And I said, 'Sure, what do I need?'
Emma Needham: For some, especially those in Tribal communities, that process can be even more challenging. Simone Rendon, of the White Earth and Lakota Nations, started working on hers last year.
Simone Rendon: Through all of the paperwork, what I have found out is I don't have enough identifiers to even start the process... so since December I have been gathering all of, like, my birth certificate and information.
Emma Needham: Depending on where you live, county and Department of Motor Vehicles, or DMV, offices can operate differently. And for Tribal Citizens, the challenges often stack up — with requirements that don't always fit neatly into standardized systems.
Simone Rendon: It's a little daunting and overwhelming. It's like a list of 'one thing from here, one thing from here…
Emma Needham: The Real ID Fee is $31.50 if you have a driver's license. But in order to get that far, people may need multiple certified documents from county, state, or tribal governments.
Simone Rendon: It's a lotta money. And the rules aren't all set in stone.
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Emma Needham: You don't need a REAL ID to drive — even out of state — and your current state ID will still allow you to vote. But if you're heading to the airport, you'll need that gold star in the top right corner of your license or ID card, or alternative TSA-approved documents.
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Emma Needham: To get started, Minnesota offers a pre-application tool online. You'll still need to visit a DMV office in person. Here's what you'll need to bring:
● One document proving identity — like a passport or certified birth certificate
● Two documents proving Minnesota residency — such as a lease or utility bill
● And proof of your Social Security number
Simone Rendon: That would be my advice: be able to say 'This is the document from this line–Here you go.'
Emma Needham: Local offices can help guide you based on your individual circumstances.
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Emma Needham: Need help figuring it all out? Visit drive.mn.gov and click on "Get a REAL ID" for the pre-application, document checklists, and more. For North Star Stories, this is Emma Needham.
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ANCHOR Chantel SinGs: You are listening to North Star Stories.
Monarchs, milkweed, and more. The Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota in Mankato is getting a boost to its hands-on pollinator exhibit, thanks to a 2-hundred and 25-million dollar grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation. The revamped exhibit, called Pollinators at Play, will expand the museum's butterfly house and nursery, outdoor classroom, and native plant prairie. The museum says the grant will help create an immersive environment where children can interact with pollinators up close. The exhibit opens June 12.
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HOST: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.