The Department of Justice earlier this month filed a lawsuit against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and two other state officials over a law allowing undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit at a Feb. 12 press conference. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, the lawsuit argues that the 2019 Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, or the “Green Light Law,” unlawfully interferes with the enforcement of immigration laws by preventing the Department of Motor Vehicles from sharing “records or information” with any federal agency that “primarily enforces immigration law” absent a court order.

The law allows any individual over 16 to apply for a “standard, not-for-federal purpose, non-commercial driver license or learner permit,” regardless of immigration status. New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, and the head of the DMV, Mark J.F. Schroeder, were the other two officials named in the lawsuit.

“Our state laws, including the Green Light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe,” James wrote in a statement. “I am prepared to defend our laws, just as I always have.”

The lawsuit maintained that the Green Light Law unlawfully targets immigration agencies for “disfavored treatment,” violating the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which prohibits states from interfering with the powers of the federal government. The lawsuit said a federal immigration statute prohibits states from restricting the ability of a “government entity or official” to send information to federal officials on an individual’s legal status.

“New York is proud that immigrants from across the globe come here searching for a better life — people like my grandparents who left Ireland looking for the American dream,” Hochul said in a statement. “We welcome law-abiding individuals who want to work, pay taxes and contribute to our communities, while at the same time protecting the public safety of all New Yorkers by cracking down on violent criminals.”

The American Civic Association, a nonprofit organization that aids immigrants and fosters cultural understanding, supports recipients of Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival. Under the Trump administration, the future of both programs remains uncertain [HYPERLINK: https://www.bupipedream.com/news/tps-daca-programs-face-uncertain-future-one-month-into-trumps-second-term/162669/]

Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, recently announced the termination of protected status for 350,000 Venezuelans, and a federal court last month ruled that parts of DACA were illegal, but recipients were allowed to renew their protections.

Hussein Adams, the executive director and CEO of the American Civic Association, said that the Green Light Law advances important interests shared by New Yorkers.

“As has been echoed by both our Governor and the NY Attorney General as well, the rights of New Yorkers are protected by our state laws which keep our communities vibrant, affluent and secure,” Adams wrote. “The Green Light Law is no different. Federal immigration officials can access any DMV database so long as they have a judicial warrant signed by a judge.”

“This is not the first time the Green Light Law has been targeted since it was established in 2019, however, since then many other states have followed NYS in implementing similar laws,” he added. “We support laws that inevitably keep our very diverse community safe and allow for a higher rate of self-sufficiency and economic prosperity.”

Ryan Gaire, the president of Binghamton University’s College Democrats and a junior majoring in political science, said he believed that the law promotes safe driving and criticized the Department of Justice for interfering with state policies.

“New York State’s Green Light Law allows our roads to be safer for everyone by enabling undocumented immigrants to legally obtain driver’s licenses and by extension, driver’s insurance,” Gaire wrote. “It also protects undocumented drivers from the federal government accessing DMV records without a warrant. The Department of Justice suing to strike down this law, one that has repeatedly been held up by the courts, is ridiculous and represents yet another example of Donald Trump and his administration’s overreach of federal power.”

“The federal government should not have uninhibited access to New York State DMV records, especially for the purposes of hunting down undocumented immigrants, and this lawsuit is clearly another way to fearmonger and target them,” he added. “It is cruel and has no legal basis, and the courts should rule the same.”

The lawsuit comes at a tumultuous time in state politics, especially on immigration policy. Earlier this month, a Trump-appointed Justice Department official ordered the dropping of federal charges against Eric Adams, the mayor of New York City, saying the proceedings distracted from Trump’s immigration agenda.

“This lawsuit is part of a broader attempt to enforce immigration law and accountability in our country,” wrote Shane Rossi, the president of BU’s College Republicans and a junior majoring in political science. “New York State is guilty of harboring illegals and allowing them to use our services which use our time, wealth, and labour. No one has the right to travel within our country, we will decide that amongst ourselves. By putting a stop to this insanity, we can save our nation from decay and collapse. The DOJ is now fighting for the citizens and only the citizens of this country.”