Travelers who don’t have a Real ID, passport or other federally recognized document will face additional security screening at U.S. airports on Wednesday but will still be able to fly, Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, said on Tuesday.

Her comments reiterated the department’s previous guidance to travelers, as a federal deadline to enforce the Real ID law approaches on Wednesday.

In addition to a star-emblazoned Real ID, other forms of acceptable identification include a U.S. passport, a Global Entry card, a Department of Defense ID or a permanent resident card, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

If travelers don’t have one of those forms of identification at airport checkpoints on Wednesday, “they may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step, but people will be allowed to fly,” Ms. Noem told House members at a hearing on Tuesday.

“We will make sure that it is as seamless as possible and that travelers will get to stay on their intended itinerary,” Ms. Noem said. “But we are telling people that this law will be enforced and it will allow us to know individuals in this country — who they are and that they are authorized to travel.”

Travelers had been told that starting on Wednesday, a standard state-issued driver’s license alone would not be enough to fly with. But Ms. Noem’s comments indicated that the government was, at least initially, giving travelers some leeway.