Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf on Dec. 31 requested a review of how recent state laws allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driving licenses will affect enforcement efforts.
In it, he requested a study on how it will affect the Department of Homeland Security’s activities into immigration, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and counterterrorism.
According to his memo, obtained by The Associated Press, Wolf said the department must be “prepared to deal with and counter these impacts as we protect the homeland.”
He also asked that each agency take account of what Department of Motor Vehicles information is already available, how it is used in daily operations, and what the security consequences might be without the DMV data.
In December 2019, New York became the 13th state to allow illegal aliens to apply for and obtain a driver’s license from the Department of Motor Vehicles under the bill commonly referred to as the Green Light Law.
It means that individuals aged 16 or older will be able to apply for a standard license, including those who have never been issued a Social Security number.
However, applicants must show a combination of documents that prove their name, date of birth, and New York State residency, which include a foreign passport, a U.S. municipal ID card with photo, and a foreign birth certificate.
Other states to have authorized the law include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.
In addition to providing illegal immigrants with licenses, many of these states also prohibit Department of Motor Vehicles officials from providing data to immigration enforcement agencies unless a judge orders it.
In a news release announcing the new law in 2019, speaker of the New York state Assembly, Carl Heastie, said it hoped to create safer roads and boost the state’s economy.
“While opponents continue to spread misinformation and stoke fears about the bill’s intent and consequences, the Assembly Majority will continue to put the needs of New Yorkers first,” he said.
“The legislation passed today will promote public safety, protect our state’s economy, and ensure every New Yorker can integrate into their community and care for their family. Making sure that every driver is trained, tested, and insured will make New York’s roads safer for everyone and ensure that our industries have the labor they need to keep our economy moving.”
Only 34 percent of voters supported the move. The poll has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
“The Trump administration takes the mission of protecting the Homeland very seriously,” DHS spokeswoman Heather Swift told AP, adding that these types of laws are unsafe and “make it easier for terrorists and criminals to obtain fraudulent documents.”
