> why did TSA recently start requiring REAL ID
Immigration politics
Immigration politics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_ID_Act#Legislative_histor...
In addition, the source you linked explicitly points out that the id standards were just one part of a bill that "would repeal the provisions regarding identification documents in IRTPA, replace them with a version that would set the federal standards directly rather than in negotiation with the states, and would make various changes to US immigration law regarding asylum, border security and deportation."