Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) joined Congressman Tom Reed his Assembly and Senate Republican colleagues to call on the governor to reinstate Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) access for federal agents. Since the enactment of the Green Light Law, the New York Department of State has adopted policies which prohibit access to DMV records to Homeland Security. The blocked access has created a large inconvenience for law-abiding New Yorkers who are now unable to participate in trusted traveler programs and puts national security at risk.

“The governor has made it very clear that he cares about illegal immigrants far more than the safety of law-abiding New Yorkers,” said Friend. “The exchange of information is important for the protection of our people and the enforcement of our laws. Blocking our federal government from the DMV system puts each New Yorker in danger. I encourage the governor to reconsider and reverse this decision to restore the cooperation upon which our country’s democracy was founded.”

Since the enactment of the Green Light Law, which gives driving privileges to illegal immigrants, New York has blocked access to the federal government. In turn, the federal government has been unable to process and verify individuals for trusted traveler programs and inhibited federal law enforcement’s ability in counter terrorist efforts. Arrests for immigration violations account for 70 percent of Joint Terrorism Task Force disruptions.

Editor’s Note: Video of Assemblyman Friend’s comments: https://youtu.be/ziH7I3dwUVg

B-Roll of the press conference: https://youtu.be/VXJkZ1ZLObw