Illegal immigrants are now able to apply for driver’s licenses in New York as part of a new state law.
The law, which was unsuccessfully challenged in court, went into effect on Monday. It broadens the scope of documents that applicants can use in obtaining a license to include foreign passports and foreign driver’s licenses.
Earlier this year, the “Green Light Law” passed the New York state Assembly 86-41 and the New York state Senate 33-29. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law in June.
The bill stipulates that unless required for federal ID purposes, “the commissioner, and any agent or employee of the commissioner, shall not disclose or make accessible in any manner records of information that he or she maintains, to any agency that primarily enforces immigration law or to any employee or agent of such agency, unless the commissioner is presented with a lawful court order or judicial warrant.”
There were legal obstacles for the legislation, including a recent challenge brought by the Rensselaer County clerk, which was tossed out by a federal judge on Friday.
“I am disappointed, and, hopefully, this is only a setback,” Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola said in a statement after the unsuccessful challenge. Citing a lack of training, he said he would be referring applicants without documentation to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
“The ‘Green Light Law’ is legal and enforceable, and two separate federal courts have now already dismissed the meritless claims of two county clerks,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James of the legal obstacles. “Beginning Monday, the law will help make our roads safer, our economy stronger, and will allow immigrants to come out of the shadows to sign up as legal drivers in our state.”
