by Matthew Holloway | Dec 6, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Starting February 2026, air travelers arriving at TSA checkpoints without acceptable ID, such as a REAL ID or a passport, will face a $45 fee and be required to complete additional online identity verification, the agency confirmed Monday.
As reported by Fox News, a proposed rule published in the Federal Register had called for a lower fee amount of just $18. However, Senior TSA Officials told the outlet that upon careful review, the agency determined that higher-than-anticipated technology and operating costs necessitated the higher final fee.
The TSA announced the move on Monday in a press release, reiterating that the REAL ID law was signed and took effect over 20 years ago, and is now being fully implemented and enforced at the direction of President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, as of May 7, 2025.
Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Administrator for TSA, Adam Stahl, explained, “Identity verification is essential to traveler safety, because it keeps terrorists, criminals, and illegal aliens out of the skies and other domestic transportation systems such as rail.”
According to the TSA, over 94 percent of U.S. passengers already use REAL IDs or another acceptable form of identification. However, passengers who do not provide an acceptable ID can expect increased wait times at Security Checkpoints. The agency listed over a dozen forms of acceptable identification in its release. A complete list of acceptable forms of ID can be found here.
Stahl noted, “The vast majority of travelers present acceptable identification like REAL IDs and passports, but we must ensure everyone who flies is who they say they are. Beginning February 1, travelers who do not present an acceptable form of ID at our security checkpoints and still want to fly can pay a $45 fee and undergo the TSA Confirm.ID process. This fee ensures the cost to cover verification of an insufficient ID will come from the traveler, not the taxpayer. The security of the traveling public is our top priority, so we urge all travelers to get a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID as soon as possible to avoid delays and potentially miss flights.”
The TSA has called upon travelers who do not possess a REAL ID to pay the fee in advance online before arriving at an airport. However, for those who do not, information on how to pay the fee and complete the TSA Confirm.ID process will be available at locations at or near TSA Checkpoints. The agency stressed that passengers completing the process at the airport should expect delays.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Dec 3, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The terroristic attacks and threats by Afghan nationals in recent weeks have renewed concerns about the vetting of those resettled in Arizona.
On the day before Thanksgiving last week, an Afghan national shot two National Guard members in Washington, D.C.; one of the two died, and the other remains in critical condition.
The shooter, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, remains in custody. He entered the country in late 2021 with his wife and five children under Biden’s resettlement program, Operation Allies Welcome, following the botched Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021.
Volunteers who worked with Lakanwal’s family claimed in interviews with NPR that Lakanwal didn’t show signs of radicalization prior to the terrorist attack. Rather, they claimed Lakanwal showed signs of mental instability and struggles to adjust to life in the U.S.
These volunteers also revealed that Lakanwal would drive away from his Washington state residence for long stretches in the weeks leading up to his attack, traveling to other states without explanation given to those around him — including Arizona.
Similarly, sources told ABC News that Lakanwal’s mental health was in decline leading up to the attack. Lakanwal was allegedly stressed by family finances, since his work permit expired and he was unable to find steady work.
However, sources advised ABC News that Lakanwal was granted asylum in April of this year, which grants automatic work authorization, after applying last year.
Approval of Lakanwal’s asylum petition occurred on the basis of the previous administration’s vetting procedures, which have been in question from the start of the resettlement program.
Another Afghan citizen — Mohammad Dawood Alokozay residing in Fort Worth, Texas — was charged on Tuesday for terroristic threats. Alokozay threatened to commit a suicide bombing as part of a jihad against Americans.
Like Lakanwal, Alokazay passed allegedly thorough vetting procedures under the previous administration.
According to the archived Operation Allies Welcome webpage, the Department of Homeland Security deployed 400 personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard, and Secret Service to multiple locations abroad to conduct processing, screening, and vetting alongside other federal agencies.
Screening and vetting consisted of biometric and biographic screenings.
About 200,000 Afghans were granted asylum under the initial resettlement program, Operation Allies Welcome, and its successor, Operation Enduring Welcome. A little under 4,000 Afghan refugees have been brought into Arizona as part of the resettlement program since 2022, per the Arizona Department of Economic Security’s Arizona Refugee Resettlement Program.
The Trump administration is reexamining these Afghan asylees following this latest terrorist attack.
Back in 2021, congressional leaders questioned the thoroughness of these procedures.
This resettlement program had red flags from the start.
Officials identified numerous incidents concerning Afghan men arriving at intake centers and claiming female children as their wives. These child brides reported being raped by these men and forced to marry them.
Congressman Andy Biggs asked about these incidents and others in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security. Biggs also addressed the claims of refugee status given to Afghan men with criminal records or past terrorist organization associations.
In January, less than a week after taking office, Vice President J.D. Vance told CBS News that the Biden administration hadn’t properly vetted those awarded refugee status.
“Now that we know we have vetting problems with a lot of these refugee programs, we absolutely cannot unleash thousands of unvetted people into our country,” said Vance.
Last October, two Afghan nationals were arrested for planning an Election Day terrorist attack inspired by ISIS. Abdullah Haji Zada and Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi; the latter individual was brought into the country days after the Biden administration withdrew from Afghanistan.
These individuals were also alleged to have been properly vetted.
President Trump paused migration from third-world countries following the terrorist attack. In the Sunday press gaggle aboard Air Force One, Trump said Americans don’t need or want these foreigners.
“We don’t want those people. Does that make sense?” said Trump. “You know why we don’t want them? Because many have been no good and they shouldn’t be in our country.”
The federal government spent over $14 billion on the Afghan resettlement program.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Oct 9, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Just one week after discovering the TSA’s Quiet Skies Program was targeting him, Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) raised urgent questions about the extent of the Biden administration’s violations of Americans’ civil rights.
The latest disclosures, brought to light by FBI Director Kash Patel, expose that former Special Counsel Jack Smith and his “Arctic Frost” team, tasked with investigating January 6, allegedly tracked the private communications and phone calls of multiple Republican lawmakers.
According to Fox News Digital, the targeted individuals included Republican Senators Lindsey Graham (SC), Marsha Blackburn (TN), Ron Johnson (WI), Josh Hawley (MO), Cynthia Lummis (WY), Bill Hagerty (TN), Dan Sullivan (AK), Tommy Tuberville (AL), and Republican Representative Mike Kelly (PA).
“I am disappointed, but not at all surprised, to learn more about how the Joe Biden administration weaponized the federal government to violate citizens’ sacred civil rights,” stated Hamadeh. “This corrupt cabal went to great lengths to keep sunlight from illuminating the truth about the 2020 election of Biden, so it is no surprise at all that the calls they were tracking were likely in reference to the vote to certify the 2020 election.”
The Quiet Skies program, administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), is a domestic surveillance initiative designed to monitor travelers deemed potential security risks.
The program involves enhanced screening, observation by air marshals, and tracking of individuals’ movements through airports.
Congressman Hamadeh’s inclusion in this program, along with many Republican lawmakers and untold numbers of American citizens, has raised concerns about its misuse to target political figures without transparent justification.
Congressman Hamadeh condemned the actions as part of a broader pattern of overreach. “There is nothing radical leftists across all branches of government won’t do to maintain and expand their power,” Hamadeh said. “From our courtrooms to the ballot counting rooms, the Democrats have shown a blatant disregard for our democratic process and the rule of law.”
Expressing confidence in ongoing efforts to address these issues, Hamadeh added, “I have full confidence that FBI Director Patel will identify the layers of corruption left behind by the Biden Administration and tear them out root and branch. Nothing less will restore our Republic to one that honors our God-given rights and respects the voice of We the People.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Oct 7, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) expressed his gratitude to Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, for his tireless efforts to uncover the misuse of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Quiet Skies Program.
The program, intended as a security measure, has been revealed to target Americans, including Hamadeh, in what Senator Paul described as “an unconstitutional dystopian nightmare masquerading as a security tool.”
Congressman Hamadeh, a former U.S. Army Reserve Intelligence Officer with Top-Secret clearance and a former Maricopa County prosecutor, was shocked to learn he was among those targeted by the Biden administration through this program.
“I am disappointed but not surprised that the Biden Administration used TSA’s Quiet Skies rules to target me while I was serving this nation in the U.S. Army Reserves and as a prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office”, said Hamadeh. “My dedication to this nation and its security has never been questioned.”
According to a flash report released by Senator Paul prior to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Tuesday, September 30th, the Quiet Skies program and related watchlists were used to surveil Americans, including three Republican lawmakers, shortly after they engaged in political activities such as opposing the Biden administration’s policies.
The report further revealed that at least two dozen Americans were placed on watchlists for actions like protesting mask mandates or removing masks on flights.
Following January 6, 2021, TSA issued directives authorizing watchlists based solely on suspected travel to Washington, D.C., without evidence of unlawful conduct. Hamadeh, who questioned the integrity of Arizona’s 2022 General Election during his candidacy, noted the personal impact of this surveillance: “Because I naturally questioned the validity of the election in 2022, Democrats hurled epithets and implied that I was a threat to our democracy. When in fact, I have done and will continue to do all I can to protect and defend our Republic.”
The congressman also noted that he was targeted alongside Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, a fellow veteran and former congresswoman.
“The corrupt system targets those whom they fear the most,” stated Hamadeh. “It is clear evidence that this program was used to target critics of Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats, who have demonstrated a blatant disregard for our civil liberties and spit on our cherished Constitution.”
The Department of Homeland Security has acknowledged that the Quiet Skies program has failed to prevent a single terrorist attack since its start, raising further questions about its effectiveness and purpose.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Jun 29, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
In 2015, a federal investigation found that the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) body scanners consistently failed to detect dangerous objects and concealed weapons as much as 96% of the time. In response, Arizona Republican Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ02) has introduced the Aviation Risk Mitigation and Security (ARMS) Act to compel TSA to share its test findings with Congress.
According to a release from Congressman Crane, the 2015 investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General into the efficacy of the agency’s Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) resulted in the TSA terminating the collection and submission of testing data and classifying its findings.
“This lack of transparency leaves significant gaps in our security,” Crane’s office said, “especially given that U.S. airports still rely on AIT to screen passengers and luggage.” The Congressman’s staff explained that Congress must have access to the latest data in order to guarantee TSA has the tools it needs to successfully identify and neutralize any threats.
“I’m proud to introduce legislation requiring the TSA to provide Congress with updated covert testing data. In light of the legitimate security risks outlined in a recent DHS advisory bulletin, we cannot afford to remain in the dark about where the system is failing,” Crane said. “The ARMS Act would strengthen congressional oversight and lay the groundwork for meaningful solutions. We have a duty to mitigate the TSA’s longstanding deficiencies, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support this timely measure.”
Crane cited the increased risks presented in a recent National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security which warned of “violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence,” in response to President Donald Trump’s targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear weapons production facilities.
In a post to X announcing the ARMS Act, Crane wrote, “Under the Obama administration, the DHS Office of the Inspector General found that in 96% of instances, TSA Officers using Advanced Imaging Technology failed to detect hidden threat items.
“The ARMS Act would enhance TSA transparency and allow the Homeland Security Committee to properly ensure we are doing everything possible to keep the American people safe.”
He added, “We have a duty to mitigate the TSA’s longstanding failures, and this bill would lay the groundwork for meaningful solutions. We can’t afford to remain in the dark about where the system is failing.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
