Digital ID: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Reveals Trump Plans To Sign Executive Order To Hand Over Biometric Data To Hold A Bank Account

Earlier last month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed that President Donald Trump plans to soon announce and sign an executive order that would allow banks to ask for biometric data to register and hold a bank account, under the guise of tackling illegal immigration.

In February, Semafor reported on rumors of this executive order being in the works. The report noted, however, that REAL ID — that little star on Americans’ driver’s licenses and IDs — would not be sufficient enough identification and more information would be required.

The outlet wrote at the time:

The Trump administration is considering requiring banks to collect proof of citizenship, like passports, from its customers, people familiar with the talks told Semafor.

The policy would be retroactive, which means banks would have to solicit documentation from current customers as well as future ones, the people said. REAL IDs, which do not prove citizenship, would not be considered eligible.

One financial services lobbyist called the idea a “complete nightmare” logistically. The lobbyist also warned of potential pushback from GOP voters: “The admin might think this is a good idea until Joe MAGA in Alabama is asked to present his papers.”

“Verifying every bank customer’s citizenship status would be unworkable,” said another person familiar with the recent talks. “Such a mandate could force every bank in America to solicit documentation that many everyday Americans do not have on hand. To put that into perspective, the US government has spent the last 20 years trying to encourage adoption of the REAL ID, and even that form of documentation does not constitute proof of citizenship.”

The WinePress reported in January that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would not consider a REAL ID as sufficient proof of legal residence, despite the fact that naturalized American citizens must have one to enter most federal buildings and in many instances to board a plane.

However, this is not entirely true as weeks after she made her initial announcement in April, Noem revealed that Americans could still fly as long as they provided a valid passport and other paperwork, as is also explained in the TSA website.

Real ID has faced plenty of scrutiny, not just for being able to travel, but on the additional powers the Real ID act grants to the DHS Secretary. From the bill H.R. 1268:

OFFICIAL PURPOSE- The term `official purpose’ includes but is not limited to accessing Federal facilities, boarding federally regulated commercial aircraft, entering nuclear power plants, and any other purposes that the Secretary shall determine.

Jon Padfield with Business Reform explained in an excellent report that this opens the door for the standing DHS Secretary to enforce a Real ID check for a number of things, from opening a bank account, to renting vehicles, purchasing a phone, booking a hotel, and so on; which could force businesses to comply as to meet the proper terms of Know-Your-Customer (KYC) laws.

Padfield also noted that the DHS during the Biden administration was already discussing turning Real ID into a digital app on phones — digital ID. Sarcastically speaking, Padfield remarked:

“I seem to recall another government issued ID a few years ago – [Covid vaccine passports] – that people were required to show if they wanted to eat in a restaurant, attend a sporting event, or take public transportation.

“But I am sure Real ID would never be used to limit people’s movements or to enforce curfews or lockdowns. This is America and we don’t do things like that except for, well, never mind.”

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