New York fights DOJ lawsuit over migrants’ driver’s license law

• The Department of Justice sued New York, claiming its “Green Light Law” blocks federal deportation efforts. In response, New York’s attorney general is asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing the law does not violate federal immigration rules.
• The Green Light Law, passed in 2019, allows migrants living in the U.S. illegally to apply for driver’s licenses without a Social Security number.
• Gov. Kathy Hochul defended the law, emphasizing privacy concerns over federal access to personal data.

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It’s been a month since the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against New York, accusing the state of obstructing federal efforts to deport migrants living in the U.S. illegally. In response, the state’s attorney general’s office is now asking a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, which targets the state’s “Green Light Law.”

DOJ lawsuit targets New York’s Green Light Law

The law, officially known as the Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, passed in 2019. It allows migrants without U.S. citizenship to apply for a New York driver’s license without needing a Social Security number. Applicants must pass a driving test and verify their identity using a passport or a foreign-issued license.

The Green Light Law also prevents federal immigration officers from accessing information in the state’s motor vehicle database. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi claims this provision is at the heart of the lawsuit. Bondi particularly notes the part that allows New York officials to notify cardholders when immigration enforcement agencies request data from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

During a press conference announcing the lawsuit in February, Bondi said, “Law enforcement officers do not have access to their background, and if these great men and women pull someone over and don’t have access to their background, they have no idea who they’re dealing with, and it puts their lives on the line every single day.”

Bondi contends the law discriminates against the government and violates federal law, making it illegal and unenforceable.

New York defends law, cites privacy concerns

Gov. Kathy Hochul, named in the lawsuit, responded with a statement defending the law. She emphasized that current laws already give immigration officials access to DMV databases without a warrant but added, “There’s no way I’m letting federal agents, or Elon Musk’s shadowy DOGE operation, get unfettered access to the personal data of any New Yorker in the DMV system, like 16-year-old kids learning to drive and other vulnerable people.”

Hochul made it clear that New York is standing firm, saying the state will not back down.

The DOJ is seeking a restraining order and permanent injunction to block the state from enforcing the law. In court documents, New York’s attorney general’s office argued the law does not violate or obstruct federal immigration enforcement. It also contended that the law’s provision to withhold information from the federal government does not conflict with federal law.

The law was designed to make roads safer by allowing migrants to obtain driver’s licenses and, in turn, secure valid insurance. While the license closely resembles a standard New York state driver’s license, it is marked “Not for Federal Purposes” to distinguish it.

New York’s DMV website also clarifies that the law does not allow recipients to register to vote if they’re ineligible or grant them the ability to become U.S. citizens.

Across the country, at least 19 states, including New Jersey and Connecticut, have implemented similar measures.