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DOJ Sues New York over Immigrant Driver’s Licenses
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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi Should the U.S. offer a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?

DOJ Sues New York over Immigrant Driver’s Licenses

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ProCon Debate: Should the U.S. Offer a Path to Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants?

ProCon Issue in the News: The U.S. Department of Justice sued the state of New York on February 12, 2025. The federal department took issue with New York’s “Green Light Law” (Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act), which allows undocumented immigrants who live in New York to obtain driver’s licenses that cannot be used for federal identification (e.g., for boarding an airplane or voting). Furthermore, the law blocks federal agents from accessing the state’s DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) database without a warrant.

The civil lawsuit asks for a temporary restraining order against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James as well as New York State DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi alleges that the state has “a ‘tip-off’ provision that requires New York’s DMV commissioner to promptly inform any illegal alien when a federal immigration agency has requested their information,” an act that Bondi maintains is unconstitutional.

Governor Hochul defends the law, stating, “Here are the facts: Our current laws allow federal immigration officials to access any DMV database with a judicial warrant. That’s a common-sense approach that most New Yorkers support.”

The Green Light Law was signed in 2019 by then Governor Andrew Cuomo. New York was the 13th state to enact such a law. As of February 14, 2025, 19 states and the District of Columbia allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s license.

Discussion Questions

Sources

  1. Renee Anderson and Alice Gainer, “New York’s Green Light Law Hit with Department of Justice Lawsuit. Here’s Why.” (February 13, 2025), cbsnews.com
  2. Brendan J. Lyons, “Justice Department Sues NY over Law Giving Licenses to Immigrants” (February 12, 2025), timesunion.com