Judge Strikes Down Trump’s Effort To Stop New York From Giving Illegal Immigrants Driver’s Licenses

A federal judge appointed by then-President Joe Biden ruled Tuesday that New York can proceed with implementing a law allowing illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.

U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci determined that the Trump administration, which sued over New York’s “Green Light Law” in February, failed to prove that the law preceded federal authority and that it either illegally discriminates or regulates against the federal government, according to ABC News.

New York Attorney General Letitia James celebrated Tuesday’s ruling, arguing that the state law promotes safety.

“As I said from the start, our laws protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe. I will always stand up for New Yorkers and the rule of law,” James said of the ruling.

The “Green Light Law” allows illegal immigrants to use foreign passports or driver’s licenses issued in other countries to obtain New York driver’s licenses, according to ABC.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit in February, slamming Empire State officials for choosing “to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens.”

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The first Trump administration tried to pressure New York to change the law, which was introduced in 2020, by preventing New Yorkers from enrolling in the trusted traveler programs that allow for quicker processing at airports, ABC reported.

At the time, then-Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo offered to give the feds limited access to state driving records, but still kept Immigration and Customs Enforcement from seeing records of illegal immigrants who applied for the licenses.

The governor at the time, Andrew Cuomo, offered to restore federal access to driving records on a limited basis, but said he wouldn’t let immigration agents see lists of people who had applied for the special licenses available to immigrants who couldn’t prove legal residency in the U.S. The administration ultimately restored New Yorkers’ access to the trusted traveler program after a brief legal fight.