The Trump administration is making a move to punish New York residents for the so-called Green Light Law. In a letter to government officials in New York State, Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of Homeland Security said:
New York residents will no longer be eligible to enroll or re-enroll in CBPs Trusted Traveler Programs.
The New York Times says this move is “escalating a conflict between the Trump administration and the state over a law that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.”
That measure prevents agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which arrests and deports undocumented immigrants, as well as Customs and Border Protection from gaining access to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles databases without a court order.
Mr. Wolf said that access was needed to thoroughly vet applicants for the programs.
The measure appears to be one of the Trump administration’s most significant retaliatory moves against “sanctuary cities” and other jurisdictions that limit local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. President Trump on Tuesday night blasted sanctuary cities during his State of the Union address and pledged to encourage action against their policies, which he says endanger U.S. citizens because they allow criminal immigrants to evade deportation.
Travelers who currently hold Global Entry won’t be cut off right away, but they won’t be able to renew their status when it expires. This would seem like a move that would impact frequent international travelers, more than anyone else.