WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th February, 2020) The Trump administration cut off New York residents from an expedited traveler program because of a state law that protects immigrant driver's license data, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in a press release on Thursday.
Last summer, New York state passed the Driver's License Access and Privacy Act (known as the Green Light law) which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver's license. The privacy provision blocks US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from accessing this data.
"In response to New York State implementing the... Green Light Law, acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf announced New York residents will no longer be eligible to apply for or renew their enrollment in certain Trusted Traveler Programs like Global Entry," the release said.
The Trusted travel Program allows participants to bypass onerous airport security measures. The ban affects up to 200,000 New York residents plus nearly 30,000 commercial truck drivers enrolled in a similar program at US-Canadian ports of entry.
Wolf said in the release that the Customs and Border Protection (CPB) needs motor vehicle records to assess whether Trusted Traveler participants and applicants are low risk.
ICE needs the information to investigate and build cases against terrorists and other criminals, Wolf said.
