Fraud Allegations Continue to Mount
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against New York and key state officials over the 2019 “Green Light” law, which allowed thousands of illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses while barring federal immigration enforcement agencies from accessing state motor vehicle records. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Albany, was announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi during a Wednesday press conference.
Defendants include Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder. The lawsuit challenges the Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, which prevents state agencies from sharing motor vehicle data with federal authorities for immigration enforcement.
The law came under fire after reports of fraudulent activity related to the program surfaced. An investigation by the Times Union in 2021 uncovered widespread cheating in the state’s driver permit program, with the fraudulent credentials used by illegal aliens to obtain licenses and access unemployment benefits through the state’s Excluded Worker Fund. That $2.1 billion pandemic-era program provided financial aid to illegal aliens who were ineligible for traditional benefits.
In December, multiple agencies, including the New York inspector general’s office, announced the indictment of five men, including two illegal aliens who later returned to Brazil. Federal charges were filed in Massachusetts, accusing them of orchestrating a scheme by fraudulently obtaining driver’s licenses for over 1,000 illegal aliens.
Prosecutors allege the group charged customers around $1,400 per license, using forged residency documents and falsified driving school certificates. Critics of the Green Light law argue that it has undermined law enforcement efforts and enabled fraud on a massive scale. Former ICE acting director Matthew T. Albence warned in 2020 that withholding motor vehicle records from federal agencies compromised public safety, calling the move politically motivated.
Meanwhile, similar policies have been implemented elsewhere, including Nevada. In 2014, then-Governor Brian Sandoval signed Senate Bill 303, allowing illegal aliens to receive driver authorization cards (DACs). Allegations have also surfaced that non-citizens have used these credentials to vote illegally in state and federal elections.
New York officials, including former Governor Andrew Cuomo, have defended the Green Light law as a public safety measure, arguing that ensuring all drivers are licensed and tested benefits the public. However, ongoing fraud allegations and federal scrutiny continue casting doubt on the effectiveness and legality of the policy.
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