Former St. Louis Prosecutor,Misusing Public Funds

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 16, 2026

Ex-Iowa School Superintendent Ian Roberts Reaches Plea Deal In Federal Immigration Case

While maintaining his innocence, Roberts penned an essay that talks about accountability and wanting to erase unfair negative preconceptions and first impressions of others.

Ian Roberts, the former Des Moines, Iowa School Superintendent who made headlines with a federal immigration case, is taking a plea deal after it was revealed he was registered to vote in Maryland without being a U.S. citizen, Fox Baltimore reported.

A Jan. 22 hearing is scheduled for the Guyana native in Des Moines as he faces a pending deportation order and scheduled to face trial Mar. 2. The terms of his plea deal have yet to be revealed but his past in Maryland is an open book.

It was revealed that Roberts, who immigrated to the United States in 1994, was registered to vote in Maryland, despite his citizenship status, after his September 2025 arrest, resulting in calls coming in from advocacy groups for more concrete standards in the state’s voter registration process.

His ties to the state date back years, as he was employed by Baltimore City Schools for roughly eight years between 2001 and 2010, working as a teacher and a principal. He later attended Morgan State University, an HBCU, unsuccessfully pursuing his Doctorate of Education in Urban Educational Leadership. But his troubles unraveled in Iowa.

He was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents due to the existence of “a final order of removal and no work authorization.” Days later, Roberts submitted his resignation as superintendent, where he had made history after becoming the first Black person to oversee the largest school district in Iowa when he was hired in 2023.

In addition to the risk of being deported, prosecutors charged him with two counts for possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and making a false statement for employment, according to the Des Moines Register. Prosecutors claim Roberts possessed four guns illegally, including a loaded handgun they allege was left in his district-owned vehicle following his attempts to flee ICE.

His arrest caused bouts of chaos and confusion as school officials wondered how Roberts was hired in the first place. The former school leader was hired with assistance from consulting company, JG Consulting, where by undergoing a background check, it was never revealed that he was ever charged with a misdemeanor, felony, or major traffic violation — including driving under the influence.

As things came to light, public records reveal Roberts’ lengthy rap sheet includes charges such as drug possession and intent to sell in 1996 and weapons charges in 2020 and 2022, pleading guilty to the 2020 charges. The mishap resulted in the school district filing a lawsuit against JG Consulting, with leaders claiming they were “a victim of deception” due to Roberts’ alleged lying throughout his tenure.

Despite the ongoing rifts, Roberts, currently at the Polk County Jail, has maintained his innocence and wants the world to know it. With his LinkedIn page still accessible and active, he penned an essay that talked about accountability and wanting to erase unfair negative preconceptions and first impressions of others. “Teaching, leading, and serving—especially in complex systems—is challenging. It demands results. It measures outputs. But more than anything, it demands that we show up fully human,” he wrote in the lengthy post.

“Just like that student, many people quietly aspire to improve. Sometimes the desire is for themselves, other times it is for others but they are looking to get rid of the red asterisks that is weighing them down.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 16, 2026

Arkansas’ New Prison Policy Restricts How Inmates Receive Reading Material

Arkansas has a new policy that bans books and other forms of physical media from being sent directly to prison inmates.

Arkansas has introduced a policy banning the direct delivery of books, magazines, and other physical media to prison inmates.

Beginning on Feb. 1, Arkansas inmates will no longer be able to receive books, magazines, or other reading materials directly, a move officials say aims to prevent contraband in state prisons, KARK reports. The policy replaces the previous rule, in place since 2007, that allowed publishers, bookstores, schools, or approved outlets to send print materials directly to inmates.

The Arkansas Department of Corrections says printed items have become a major source of contraband, with pages sometimes soaked in synthetic drugs like K2.

“When you’re getting 400-page books that are being sent in, we can’t test every page,” said Rand Champion, communication director for the Arkansas Department of Corrections. “It’s not about hurting the freedoms of inmates; it’s a safety issue of keeping that contraband out.”

Under the old policy, inmates could receive books and magazines from approved publishers or vendors, with materials inspected and rejected if they posed a security risk. Corrections officials say such inspections are no longer adequate due to increasingly sophisticated smuggling methods.

“Safety is number one, and then access to the books would be number two,” Board of Corrections member Lona McCastlain said during a Dec. 19 meeting about the new policy. “I’m very concerned about a blanket ban, but as long as we can … make sure that they have another avenue. If there’s an avenue, that’s fine. But if there’s no avenue, I think that’s a problem.”

During the Board meeting, Arkansas DOC Director Dexter Payne assured members that inmates will still have access to books under the new policy. Donated books from libraries and bookstores will continue to be accepted, and inmates can request titles through their unit’s library, with all requests vetted by librarians before delivery.

McCastlain suggested allowing inmates to download the books they want. Board members noted that many inmates—except those in punitive isolation—already have access to tablets. Payne said the tablets currently offer a set list of books, but inmates cannot download titles freely. The department is working on a new communication contract to bring in technology like Kindles, which would eventually let inmates order any book within reason.

Then-Chairman Benny Magness, whose term ended Dec. 31, said K2 is the prison system’s biggest drug problem and believes the new ban will help address it.

“K2 is killing our inmates … Arkansas is first in a lot of things. We need to be first in this, and I guarantee other states will follow suit on it,” Magness said.

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 16, 2026

Racist Former New Jersey Mayor Allegedly Instructed Cops To ‘Keep Black People Out’ Of Town

Evidence supports Clark’s long-standing reputation as a “sundown town,” defined in history as a place where local leadership used intimidation and aggressive policing to make sure Black people and others stay away.

Another racist battle coming out of New Jersey, only this time against the former Clark Township Mayor Salvatore Bonaccorso, who was recorded using the n-word and other derogatory terms while instructing police officers to keep Black people out of the town, the New York Daily News reports.

In a lawsuit from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, Bonaccorso was allegedly heard on tape telling leaders at the Clark Police Department to “keep chasing the spooks out of town,” a racial slur against Black people, that he has used before. Currently serving three years of probation following a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit official misconduct and forgery, the ex-Republican mayor once praised an officer for a routine traffic stop involving a Black person. “Good for you, pulling over that [N-word] — keep them out of town,” the suit alleges he said.

He once allegedly boasted about Clark being known for its racist ideologies. The town recently made headlines for finally firing two cops accused of using the n-word in racist rants and collecting six-figure salaries on taxpayers’ dime while on suspension.

“You know why a lot of liberals stay out of Clark, is we’re labeled as a racist town and they want nothing to do with that,” Bonaccorso was heard saying to law enforcement leaders in 2019.

“You guys keep doing your job so we don’t have no problems.”

Consequences of Bonaccorso and several cops came five years after the Union County Prosecutor’s Office took over the Clark Police Department following community members’ complaints of misconduct. Sparking an investigation, the AG’s office revealed evidence of discriminatory policing practices in a 2023 report and pushed for a civil rights investigation.

Bonaccorso, who resigned early last year due to corruption charges, served as mayor from 2000 to 2025 in the predominantly white town. According to The Gothamist, an analysis of Clark Police Department vehicle stop data found over 37% of drivers stopped between 2015 and 2020 were Black or Hispanic, despite the demographics making up under 11% of Clark’s population.

The suit alleges “the odor of marijuana” and low-level administrative or equipment violations were used to disproportionately target Black and other non-white drivers over the years. Even outside of the township’s boundaries, Black and Hispanic drivers were targeted, with more than 53% of drivers stopped by Clark cops. “Through overt racial animus and discriminatory policing practices, Clark violated New Jersey’s civil rights laws and the New Jersey Constitution,” Platkin said in a statement.

The convicted former mayor labeled the lawsuit as “bullsh*t” as the township’s former police chief, Pedro Matos, and current police director, Patrick Grady, were listed as additional defendants.

Evidence supports Clark’s long-standing reputation as a “sundown town,” defined in history as a place where local leadership used intimidation and aggressive policing to make sure “Black people and other people they perceive to be non-white stay out of town when possible and leave town before dark.”

Los Angeles, Black Lives Matter, lawsuit

by Kandiss Edwards

January 16, 2026

Black Lives Matter Global Invests In Community Growth

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation did not release a full list of 2026 grant recipients in its announcement.

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation announced a new round of community grants totaling $4 million.

Black Lives Matter Global stated that the grants will support community-based organizations working in areas aligned with its mission. The mission includes economic justice, healing initiatives, and community-led programs. The announcement said the funding is intended to provide direct support to grassroots groups addressing local needs through service and advocacy.

In a statement, Cicley Gay, board chair of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, said the organization remains focused on directing resources toward community partners.

“Funding and supporting community leaders is at the core of what we do. Despite ongoing legal distractions, our commitment to Black communities has not wavered,” said Gay. “Every dollar we are forced to spend on legal defense is a dollar taken from the people we serve, but we remain steadfast in our mission to uplift, empower, and invest in the communities that need it most.”

The foundation said the latest grants are part of a broader funding history that began in 2020. Since that year, the organization said it has distributed more than $40 million to approximately 70 organizations, in addition to providing support through targeted initiatives such as its Student Solidarity Fund and earlier emergency relief programs.

According to the foundation’s statement, grant recipients span a range of focus areas, including youth engagement, community wellness, and programs designed to address structural inequities. The foundation said some grantees work on initiatives to improve access to resources such as food, health services, and educational opportunities.

Black Lives Matter Global described its approach as prioritizing local leadership and community-driven solutions rather than centralized programming.

In separate coverage, Philanthropy News Digest reported that the $4 million grant round represents one of the foundation’s larger recent funding announcements. The outlet reported that the grants are part of the organization’s stated effort to maintain a steady flow of resources to community groups amid ongoing operational demands.

The Black Lives Matter organization has faced scrutiny in recent years about its finances and governance, but continues to report grant distributions through public announcements.

The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation did not release a full list of 2026 grant recipients in its announcement.

The foundation said the current grant cycle reflects its continued commitment to funding community-based efforts and said it plans to announce future rounds of support as resources allow.

Adriano Espaillat, CBC, Congressional Black Caucus

by Sharelle B. McNair

January 16, 2026

Why The CBC Is Endorsing Rep. Adriano Espaillat After Years Of Failed Collaboration

CBC chair Rep. Gregory Meeks said “Espaillat reflects the kind of leadership that our caucus and its members have long championed” after years of the two working together.

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is switching things up by endorsing Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) over his primary challenger, Darializa Avila Chevalier, years after the group rejected the congressman’s push to join, Politico reports.

In a statement, CBC Chair Rep. Gregory Meeks said, “Espaillat reflects the kind of leadership that our caucus and its members have long championed,” over 32-year-old Avila Chevalier, known as a pro-Palestine organizer who led the Columbia University protest encampment in 2024. “At a time when working families are being priced out of neighborhoods they’ve called home for generations, Adriano has been on the front lines of the fight to make New York City more affordable,” the statement continues.

“That commitment is rooted in lived experience, moral clarity, and a deep commitment to economic justice and civil rights.”

However, the endorsement may come as a surprise given the rocky relationship between Espaillat, the first Dominican American and first formerly undocumented immigrant to serve in Congress, and the CBC. Before his 2017 election, he annoyed members of the group in 2012 and 2014 amid failed efforts to unseat the late Rep. Charles Rangel, a CBC founding member.

After the late congressman’s retirement, he ran for the seat again, sparking an endorsement for then-state Assemblymember Keith Wright, whom Rangel once handpicked as his successor. But then Wright lost to Espaillat. Once elected, Espaillat unsuccessfully tried to join the CBC while also serving in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

During his campaign, he identified as an Afro-Latino, but that didn’t stop the group from denying his request. Former CBC chair Karen Bass said in 2020 that there was more to the story than his ethnic background.

“It was a specific conflict, and I’m not going to talk about it,” Bass said, leaving this issue as a mystery.

However, it seems as if bygones are bygones with Espaillat graciously accepting the endorsement. “I am deeply honored to receive the endorsement of the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. “The CBC has long stood at the forefront of the fight for economic opportunity and social justice for Black and other marginalized communities,” the congressman representing New York’s 13th District, consisting of Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx, said.

“As the first formerly undocumented person to serve in Congress, this endorsement carries special meaning for me.”

But is the endorsement enough to reach voters?

Avila Chevalier, also of Afro-Latina descent, says Espaillat is out of touch with the constituents he represents, who are struggling to make ends meet, and bashed him for accepting campaign donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a group that pushes for a partnership between the U.S. and Israel, and the real estate industry.

“Why should we let Adriano Espaillat vote to spend billions on bombs overseas, when we’re struggling to afford rent and groceries right here in New York City,” the contender said in her campaign launch video, according to AMNY.

Labeled as a moderate Democrat, Espaillat is the fourth New York Democratic incumbent member of Congress to receive challenges from those deemed as progressive in light of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. Challengers are coming for the spots held by Reps. Ritchie Torres, Dan Goldman, and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Let the midterm games begin.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 16, 2026

Former Green Bay Packer Donald Driver Partners With Alcorn State For ‘New Year, New Kickoff’ Initiative

'Driven Elite is committed to creating a safe, empowering environment for student-athletes at Alcorn State to strengthen their mental resilience, leadership, and sense of identity both on and off the field,' said Driver

Former Alcorn State University athlete and NFL Super Bowl Champion Donald Driver has partnered with his alma mater to help develop programs and initiatives for student-athletes attending the university.

Alcorn State Athletics announced a partnership with Driver’s company, Driven Elite, to bring transformative programming to the campus starting Jan. 20. The company “specializes in life-changing fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle programs to fit a person’s goals and needs.” The university will be involved with Driven Elite’s “New Year, New Kickoff” initiative.

“Driven Elite is committed to creating a safe, empowering environment for student-athletes at Alcorn State to strengthen their mental resilience, leadership, and sense of identity both on and off the field,” said Driver in a written statement. “We believe mental health drives performance, and performance shapes life. Through intentional investment in young men and women, we provide mentorship, mindset development, and purpose-driven programming. The SURGE program for female student-athletes focuses on owning identity, showing up with purpose, and creating lasting impact in every space they enter.

“Alcorn State is the ideal place for these programs to grow, and I am honored to be part of this movement with Driven Elite at my alma mater.”

The athletics department will receive specialized programming for both men and women student-athletes that addresses critical areas of athletic development, mental health, and overall wellness.

Driven Elite will work on the SURGE initiative by promoting women’s sports through positive coaching methodologies and athlete support. The women will receive athletic gear and personalized nutritional information to help them optimize performance and promote long-term health.

“SURGE represents our commitment to elevating women’s sports and ensuring our female student-athletes have access to the resources, guidance, and support they need to excel,” said Alcorn State Athletic Director D’Wayne Robinson. “We’re grateful for this partnership that recognizes the unique needs of our women’s programs.”

For male student-athletes, a mental health awareness program is being launched that will feature a confidential app connecting them with licensed mental health professionals. The innovative platform allows athletes to seek support privately, promoting courage and reducing stigma around mental health in athletics. The initiative will give them a safe space to discuss anxiety, performance pressure, depression, and other mental health concerns with qualified professionals.

Driver played his collegiate career at Alcorn State from 1995 to 1998. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Green Bay Packers, where he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and helped the team win the Super Bowl in 2011.

by Kandiss Edwards

January 16, 2026

Nebraska Castle, Once A Green Book Safe Haven For Black Travelers, Earns National Historic Status

Charles Trimble and his wife, Rosa, listed the home as a Green Book site in 1939.

A North Omaha castle that once provided safe accommodations for Black people during the Jim Crow era is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The three-story concrete-block house, now locally referred to as Trimble Castle, was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 2025. The designation recognizes both Trimble Castle’s architectural features and its historical role as a safe haven for Black folks.

Flatwater Free Press reported that the home was built in 1909 at the corner of Burdette Street and Florence Boulevard and has also been known as the Burkenroad home and the Broadview Hotel. From 1939 to 1966, the property was listed in The Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide that helped Black motorists identify businesses and homes where they could safely eat and stay.

Charles Trimble and his wife, Rosa, listed the home as a Green Book site. The Trimbles rented rooms to Black travelers passing through Omaha. Their grandson, Von R. Trimble Jr., told the Flatwater Free Press that several rooms in the home were used to host guests.

“There was a lot of activity in the house, especially on weekends because the bands that were coming through would leave and then head out, and then there’d maybe be some others coming in Thursday or Friday, so it was a pretty steady, constant flow,” Trimble said.

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The property is currently owned by Wesley Dacus. Now a fourplex, Dacus lives on the main floor and rents out other units. The homeowner told Flatwater Free Press the supports efforts to preserve and document the site’s past.

“I want a plaque on that corner of the street that actually tells them what this house is all about,” he said.

The house was designed by architect Joseph P. Guth and constructed using decorative concrete blocks produced by the Omaha Concrete Stone Company. The building’s tower and unique varied block patterns contributed to its eligibility for the National Register. The Trimble home is one of the few remaining sites in the area with confirmed Green Book documentation.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

January 16, 2026

Acclaimed Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Calls Out Lagos Hospital After Toddler Son Dies

The celebrated novelist is grieving the death of her 21-month-old son, which she blames on medical negligence at a Lagos hospital.

Acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is grieving after the death of one of her 21-month-old twin sons, which she attributes to medical negligence at a hospital in Lagos.

Adichie and her family traveled from the United States to Nigeria for the holidays when her son, who was being treated for an undisclosed infection, died on Jan. 6—one day before he was scheduled to be transferred to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for further care, the New York Times reports.

In a private WhatsApp message to family and close friends that later leaked online, Adichie alleged that an anesthesiologist at Lagos’s private Euracare Hospital administered a fatal overdose of a sedative to her child.

“Suddenly, our beautiful little boy was gone forever,” Adichie wrote. “It is like living your worst nightmare. I will never survive the loss of my child.”

Family representative Omawumi Ogbe confirmed Adichie’s account.

Adichie said her son initially had what seemed like a cold, which developed into a severe infection. After being treated at Atlantis Pediatric Hospital in Lagos, he was set for medical evacuation to Johns Hopkins. Doctors requested a lumbar puncture and MRI first, so Atlantis referred him to Euracare.

According to Adichie, her son’s father carried him into the hospital, where staff said he would need sedation for the MRI. She described seeing staff rush into the theater and learning that the anesthesiologist had given her son too much propofol, leaving him unresponsive before being quickly resuscitated.

“But suddenly Nkanu was on a ventilator, he was intubated and placed in the ICU,” she wrote. “The next thing I heard was that he had seizures. Cardiac arrest. All these had never happened before.”

“Some hours later, Nkanu was gone,” the writer added.

Adichie, whose second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, won the 2007 Women’s Prize for Fiction, accused the anesthesiologist of criminal negligence, saying he turned off her son’s oxygen and casually carried him to the theater, leaving it unclear when he became unresponsive.

Traveling with her husband, Dr. Ivara Esege, and their children—including a 9-year-old daughter—Adichie’s family tragedy has fueled widespread criticism of Nigeria’s struggling health care system on social media.

“Nigeria can happen to anyone, regardless of financial or social status. In America, Nkanu would still be alive,” one X user wrote.

https://twitter.com/AfamDeluxo/status/2010010613817471274

“2 Prominent Nigerians came to Nigeria for the holidays & their lives turned upside down, putting their families in disarray – Chimamanda & Anthony Joshua,” another user wrote. “Even if you have money in Nigeria, Nigeria can happen to you & mess you up. It’s not about money, it’s about sanity & survival.”

Nigerian officials have tried to improve health care through funding and training, but many urban hospitals remain overcrowded, and rural areas often lack basic services. Wealthy Nigerians, including President Bola Tinubu, whose office denies it, are known to seek treatment abroad.

Kemi Ogunyemi, Lagos State Governor’s special adviser on health, said the office has launched an investigation into the death of Adichie’s son, emphasizing a “zero tolerance for medical negligence or unprofessional conduct.”

Over the weekend, President Tinubu offered his condolences: “As a parent myself who has suffered the loss of a loved one, no grief is as devastating as losing a child.”

Adichie and Esege married in 2009 and have three children: a daughter born in 2016 and twin sons via surrogate in 2024. She is one of today’s most celebrated novelists. Her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus, was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2004.

“Americanah” (2013) won the National Book Critics Circle Award, and her latest novel, “Dream Count” (2025), was longlisted for the Women’s Prize. She also authored “The Thing Around Your Neck” and nonfiction works, including “We Should All Be Feminists,” “Dear Ijeawele,” and “Notes on Grief,” written after the deaths of her father in 2020 and mother in 2021.

Kai Cenat Breaks From Streaming To Pursue Career In Fashion

'It feels fun to just do a new skill. I'm actually having a lot of fun right now.'

Kai Cenat, one of the most popular streamers, revealed in December that he was taking a break from streaming but has recently reemerged, expressing that he has entered the world of fashion.

TMZ caught up with the New York-based personality at LAX in Los Angeles and approached him about his latest venture. After Cenat posted a video stating that he was prioritizing his mental health as he pursues his fashion interests, he told the media outlet that he is taking fashion seriously as a beginner, but wants to do it correctly.

He told the cameraman, “It feels fun to just do a new skill. Like, developing fun. Like, I’m actually having a lot of fun right now.”

He did mention that he has actually started making clothes, having made a few hoodies and denim items.

As the next chapter of his burgeoning career began, with the surprise and shock he received after recording his “I Quit” video, many people were unsure what he intended to do in the meantime. But he hit the ground running.

Cenat uploaded a video to his YouTube channel revealing his reason for quitting, as he felt he had to take a step back and reflect on what had happened in his life and the direction he wanted to go in.

“I feel like sometimes people need to self-reflect and take a step back from the broad perspective of what their life has been. I believe that there is more to this world than is much greater than myself. The energy and passion to do more and create are within me.

“That is why I quit.”

In the 23-minute video he posted on Jan. 13, he narrates his thoughts and goals as he travels to Italy to learn firsthand about the field he is entering. He is shown taking direction, asking questions, and there are scenes of him actually sewing and being intimately involved in the making of some clothes.

No Real-ID, No Problem: TSA Will Confirm Your Identity—For A Price

by Kandiss Edwards

January 16, 2026

No Real-ID, No Problem: TSA Will Confirm Your Identity—For A Price

Adult passengers may pay a $45 fee to use TSA ConfirmID.

The Transportation Security Administration will launch a new identity verification service, TSA ConfirmID, on Feb. 1.

Under the program, adult passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID, such as a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, passport, or another TSA-approved credential, may pay a $45 fee to use TSA ConfirmID to confirm their identity and proceed through the security checkpoint, according to the agency.

Travelers using the process may face additional screening and potential delays at security.

The $45 identity-verification fee covers a 10-day period; travelers are advised to pay in advance to reduce the risk of delays at security checkpoints. TSA said the process at the checkpoint can take up to 30 minutes and might delay boarding if travelers arrive just before their flight.

To pay in advance and avoid missing flights, customers can go to Pay.gov before arriving at the airport. After clicking “pay now,” they can enter their legal name, the start date for 10-day period, and a valid payment method for the $45 fee.

From there, passengers will fill out the form presented, make sure to keep the receipt and any other confirmation information.

Once passengers reach the TSA checkpoint, they will be asked for a printed or electronic copy of their TSA ConfirmID receipt to begin the identity verification process.

Starting Feb. 1, travelers 18+ who do NOT have a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID can use TSA ConfirmID, pay a $45 fee & have their identity validated. Travelers can use this process to confirm their identity prior to arriving at the airport.

▶️ https://t.co/8RMsLuq0Lz pic.twitter.com/mcGEiovfoo
— TSA (@TSA) January 15, 2026

The ConfirmID option was introduced after the REAL ID law’s full enforcement on May 7, 2025, under requirements adopted from federal law that set minimum security standards for state-issued identification used for domestic air travel, according to federal guidelines and reporting.

Acceptable forms of identification at TSA security checkpoints include REAL ID-compliant licenses, U.S. passports, military IDs, permanent resident cards, and other federally approved credentials, according to federal travel guidance. Travelers without any acceptable ID can still attempt to fly only after completing ConfirmID’s verification and paying the fee.

TSA ConfirmID does not replace the requirement to carry valid identification but provides an alternative path for travelers who might have lost or forgotten their credentials, the agency’s online guidance says. The emphasis remains on ensuring compliance with identification standards to maintain security and efficiency at airport screening checkpoints.