The reason for Real ID is that many states issued drivers licenses to illegals.
I guess that's the idea. Bill passed 20 years ago and they're still dicking around with it.
In theory it's supposed to be harder to get a real id than a driver's license but when I my current TDL expired and I renewed it by mail the new one had the little gold star logo on it.
Supposedly any TDL renewed after 2016 is Real ID compliant but i don't know if that means just the ID is compliant or the process implemented to obtain the ID is compliant.
I didn't have to show a passport or a birth certificate that I recall for renewal, maybe I showed a birth certificate when I moved to Texas but that was before CDs replaced cassettes or the Clapper so memory fails.
I tend to think if you were here illegally and got a driver's license before 2016 then it gets renewed as a Real ID automatically.