New York, NY—Yesterday, the acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would immediately suspend enrollment in Global Entry and several other Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) for all New York state residents. In a letter to New York State government, DHS stated that residents would no longer be able to apply for such programs because of the Greenlight NY law, which allows New Yorkers regardless of immigrant status to apply for drivers' licenses. Steve Choi, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, issued the following statement:
“This is the latest height of Trump’s brazen lawlessness. Trump’s immigration force is holding all New Yorkers hostage to an unhinged re-election campaign built on demonizing immigrants at any cost. New York is one of 14 states that provide licenses to all residents, so the fact that Trump is targeting New York proves that this is about politics, pure and simple.
The notion that the Trump administration needs names and addresses from the DMV database - or has any idea how to keep New Yorkers safe - is laughable. DHS is the same agency that botched vital life-saving aid to Puerto Rico, was unable to reunite parents they themselves had separated from their children, and whose border wall blew over in strong winds. All New Yorkers are safer because of the Green Light law, and we’re smart enough to see through this latest attempt to attack the protections for immigrants that New York has proudly enacted.”