Assemblyman Christopher Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) voted against the dangerous, so-called Green Light Bill, which gives illegal immigrants New York State driver’s licenses. According to several Siena Polls over the past few months, a majority of New Yorkers oppose the measure, especially in upstate New York.

“It is simple, as public officers our job is to uphold the laws of our country and state. The Assembly Majority’s’ efforts to subvert our federal laws is a serious problem. New Yorkers do not want to give illegal immigrants driver’s licenses, and it will not make us safer as the Assembly Majority is promising,” said Friend. “This policy in action will open New York to security and safety concerns, voter fraud issues and places significant burdens on our local governments,” said Friend.

Friend raised concerns last week when the legislation was approved by the Assembly Majority in the Committee on Transportation. The legislation allows for foreign identification to be used in the application for a driver’s license, despite the difficulties this would create for DMV staff to verify. The applicants are not required to prove that they are lawfully in the country.

The DMV is prohibited from disclosing these documents to any immigration-enforcing agency without a court order and the DMV is prohibited from keeping copies or documentation from these illegal immigrant applicants on file. Furthermore, as the bill is written, it would force law enforcement to certify it will not use the information for immigration related enforcement. Friend is concerned that the DMV information will be restricted to law enforcement from sanctuary cities only with this rule in place.

Friend also said the law was written vaguely enough that there are no protections to prevent voter registration fraud. It was even brought up on the floor during debate that in Suffolk County there were numerous cases where illegal immigrants registered to vote and were able to vote in elections. It was only discovered when they were applying for citizenship.