The Trump administration’s attempt to block New Yorkers from enrolling in trusted traveler programs is heading for court.
On Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York Civil Liberties Union announced their intention to file lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security. DHS said this week that it will no longer allow New York state residents to sign up for popular programs intended to speed up international travel because of a state law that blocks immigration authorities from accessing motor vehicle records.
“You can’t do that. It’s an abuse of power. It is extortion,” Cuomo said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit.
New York’s “Green Light” law allows immigrants in the country illegally to apply for driver’s licenses. More than a dozen other states do the same. But New York’s law goes further: it prohibits the state’s DMV from sharing information with immigration authorities, unless a judge orders them to.