In response to New York's recently enacted sanctuary law-part of which prohibits the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) across the state from sharing criminal records with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)-the Department of Homeland Security has suspended enrollment in Global Entry and several other Trusted Traveler Programs in the state.
Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf made the announcement on Fox News on Wednesday night after sending a letter to New York State officials, informing them of the government's action.
"In New York alone last year, ICE arrested 149 child predators, identified or rescued 105 victims of exploitation and human trafficking, arrested 230 gang members and seized 6,487 pounds of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl and opioids," Wolf wrote in the letter. "In the vast majority of these cases, ICE relied on New York DMV records to fulfill its mission."
New York enacted its 'Green Light Law' declaring itself a sanctuary state late last year. Illegal immigrants overwhelmed DMV offices to obtain driver's licenses and learner's permits as identifications-no matter what their immigration status was.
The law "compromises CBP's ability to confirm whether an individual applying for TTP membership meets program eligibility requirement," Wolf wrote.
The Trusted Traveler Programs allow for expedited entry into the U.S. from international destinations; New York's decision to prohibit the DMV from sharing information would compromise efforts to validate documents of immigrants.
Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST are now all suspended in New York; TSA Pre-Check is not affected.
Responding to the decision, Rich Azzopardi, a senior aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, told CNN: "This is obviously political retaliation by the federal government and we're going to review our legal options."
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement: "Travel should not be politicized. Trusted traveler programs enhance our national security because they provide greater certainty regarding a person's identity, citizenship, and criminal background. Suspending enrollment in Global Entry and other trusted traveler programs only undermines travel security and efficiency. We are in contact with the Department of Homeland Security to convey this message."
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