Due to a significant increase in illegal immigrants in New York State, Republican state assembly members are calling for the repeal of the “Green Light Law” passed in 2019. They propose amending the law to require individuals to have a social security card to obtain a driver’s license regardless of their immigration status once they reach the age of 16.
State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barcley stated in a press release on September 27th that according to statistics from the United States Border Patrol, there were 19,000 immigrant encounters along the Canadian and US border in August, with about half of them entering the US through New York State.
Barcley pointed out that the influx of illegal immigrants from the Canadian border, along with those entering New York City from the southern US border by bus, has compounded the immigration issues faced by communities in northern New York State.
Reports indicate that due to the continued openness of the border, the chaos and uncertainty persist with no indication of a short-term resolution to the issue, Barcley commented.
State Assembly members Scott Gray and Ken Blankenbush of the Assembly Minority Conference have proposed the repeal of the “Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act,” commonly known as the “Green Light Law.”
On September 25, the two legislators, along with Republican State Senator Dan Stec, with support from law enforcement authorities in St. Lawrence, Clinton, and Jefferson counties, called for the repeal of the current “Green Light Law.”
The New York State “Green Light Law” was passed in June 2019 and took effect on December 16 of the same year. The legislation allows all New Yorkers aged 16 and above to apply for a standard, non-federal, non-commercial driver’s license or learner’s permit, regardless of their immigration status in the US, without the need for a social security card.
The current “Green Light Law” also prohibits the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) from sharing records with immigration enforcement agencies and requires that New York State and local law enforcement agencies seeking access to these records demonstrate that they won’t be used for civil immigration purposes or shared with primary immigration enforcement agencies.
However, Republican state assembly members have proposed reinstating cooperation between the DMV and immigration enforcement agencies. Barcley stated, “Such cooperation should not have been suppressed from the beginning.”
According to Barcley, the Center for Immigration Studies notes that the “Green Light Law” provides a pathway for unscrupulous individuals to obtain “legitimate, state-issued identification documents” while requiring New York State to rely solely on information from foreign governments to issue such documents, leading to numerous law enforcement conflicts and impeding public safety and immigration enforcement.
“As a nation, we always welcome those seeking a better life. We will continue to do so, but we must also consider those living here, paying taxes, and using public services. Currently, Americans feel unsafe, which is unacceptable. We have always been and always will be a beacon of freedom, and the best way to continue to do so is by adhering to laws intended to protect the safety of all, including immigrants,” wrote Barcley.