Attorney General Pam Bondi sued New York on Wednesday over the state’s sanctuary policies, saying they are jeopardizing Americans’ safety.
She named Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James and Mark Schroder, head of the state’s motor vehicles bureau, as defendants in the lawsuit.
“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops today,” Ms. Bondi said.
She said the state’s Green Light law not only allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, but shields their identities from federal law enforcement. It also requires the state to tip off those license holders if federal agents seek information.
Ms. Bondi said that law contravenes federal law, leaving the state ripe for a lawsuit.
New York is the second target for the Trump Justice Department, following an earlier lawsuit against Illinois.
“We sued Illinois and New York didn’t listen, so now you’re next,” Ms. Bondi said.
Avi Small, the governor’s press secretary, said the lawsuit hadn’t been filed so they couldn’t comment on the specifics.
“Governor Hochul has been clear from day one: she supports deporting violent criminals who break our laws, believes that law-abiding families should not be targets, and will coordinate with federal authorities who have a judicial warrant,” the spokesperson said.
Federal immigration authorities say the demand for a judicial warrant is a red herring because there is no such warrant in civil immigration proceedings.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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