New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat and named defendant in the Department of Justice’s lawsuit, said that the state’s law is sound and has “been upheld by the courts time and time again.”
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced that the federal Department of Justice will file a lawsuit challenging New York State’s immigration policies, including its “Green Light Law.”
According to CBS News, New York’s “Green Light Law” allows undocumented immigrants to provide for state driver’s licenses without providing a Social Security number. Applicants are also allowed to provide alternative forms of identification, like a passport or a driver’s license from a foreign country.
However, undocumented immigrants must still pass a road test to earn their license.
“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens,” Bondi said in a statement. “It stops. It stops today.”
CBS News notes that former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the “Green Light Law” into effect in 2019. The legislation was intended to improve road safety by making it easier for undocumented motorists to obtain automobile insurance policies.
Today, about 19 other states have similar laws in effect.
In New York, the “Green Light Law” also prohibits certain state agencies from sharing motorist records with immigration authorities.
“The law provides a number of privacy protections that limit data sharing, including to agencies that primarily enforce immigration laws, and requires disclosure to the license holders when immigration enforcement agencies request data from DMV,” the New York Department of Motor Vehicles says on its website.
Bondi said that the policy’s effect is comparable to “tipping off an illegal alien.”
“[I]t’s unconstitutional,” Bondi said. “And that’s why we filed this lawsuit.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat and named defendant in the Department of Justice’s lawsuit, said that the state’s law is sound and has “been upheld by the courts time and time again.”
“Here are the facts: our current laws allow federal immigration officials to access any DMV database with a judicial warrant. That’s a common-sense approach that most New Yorkers support,” Hochul said. “But there’s no way I’m letting federal agents, or Elon Musk’s shadowy DOGE operation, get unfettered access to the personal data of any New Yorker in the DMV system like 16-year-old kids learning to drive and other vulnerable people.”
“We expect Pam Bondi’s worthless, publicity-driven lawsuit to be a total failure, just like all the others,” Hochul said. “Let me be clear: New York is not backing down.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James said that her office is prepared to defend the state in court.
“Our state laws, including the Green Light Law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe,” James said. “I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have.”
Sources
Department of Justice files lawsuit against New York over immigration
New York’s Green Light Law hit with Department of Justice lawsuit. Here’s why.
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