The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Homeland Security cuts New Yorkers off from ‘trusted traveler’ programs
WASHINGTON — New York residents will be cut off from “trusted traveler” programs that speed their re-entry into the country, a senior Homeland Security official said Thursday, blaming a new state law that prohibits immigration agents from accessing motor vehicle records.
Tens of thousands of New Yorkers will face the inconvenience of slower re-entry because of a law that acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli says puts public safety at risk by preventing federal agents from quickly accessing vehicle and criminal records.
“I know other states are looking at laws like this,” Cuccinelli said. “We would urge them to reconsider.”
The decision to freeze New Yorkers’ access to Global Entry and three other programs, which the New York governor dismissed as “extortion,” reflects an escalation of the conflict between President Donald Trump and states and cities that have declared themselves sanctuaries for immigrants in the country without legal authorization.
New York’s “Green Light” law, which went into effect in December, allows people to get a driver’s license even if they don’t have legal residency in the United States. It includes a provision prohibiting the Department of Motor Vehicles from providing any data to entities that enforce immigration law unless a judge orders it to do so.
That makes it a target for
Trump, who has made immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his presidency and knows it’s a subject that motivates his base. The sweeping move came a day after Trump slammed New York in his State of the Union address.
The DHS action on trusted travelers could have economic consequences. It applies to nearly 30,000 commercial truck drivers enrolled in a program that eases their crossing at four U.S.-Canada ports of entry in upstate New York.
Cuccinelli told reporters on a conference call that the New York law endangers the public and federal agents, who can’t quickly confirm someone’s identification, check for fugitive warrants or see if a person has a criminal record.
“Obviously, we would urge New York to undo that law and restore some sanity to its own attempts to help preserve public safety,” he said.
New York state officials and other administration critics dismissed the DHS action as a political stunt, noting the trusted traveler programs don’t require a driver’s license. Participants must submit a passport, fingerprints and undergo background checks, allowing them streamlined return to the U.S.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo defended the Green Light law, saying it improved public safety by ensuring drivers have licenses regardless of their immigration status. The state barred immigration agents from accessing the records to prevent the government from using DMV records to deport people in the country without legal residency.