New York, NY—Today, the Justice Department (DOJ) announced it is suing New York State – along with Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and DMV Commissioner – for limiting local collusion with federal immigration enforcement.
This lawsuit includes a challenge to New York’s Green Light law, which allows New Yorkers regardless of immigration status to obtain a driver’s license. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "We did it to Illinois. Strike one. Strike two is New York, and if you're a state not complying with federal law? You're next."
Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition:
“Pam Bondi’s lawsuit is an affront to the 10th Amendment, which clearly allows States to make and follow their own laws. It might work when Trump bullies Mayor Eric Adams, but he has a much poorer track record against fighters for the public good like our NYS Attorney General Letitia James – who has overwhelmingly defeated Trump’s previous attacks on New York. New York’s Green Light law has been a vital public safety measure since 2019, allowing for a greater degree of accountability and protection of every New Yorker using our shared roadways. If there was ever a time for New York elected officials to stand up for the laws that keep all New Yorkers safe, it’s now. New York must not be intimidated into submitting to Trump’s cruel mass deportation agenda, which will separate families, destabilize our communities and wreak havoc on our economy.”