A federal judge has rejected the Trump administration’s effort to block New York’s controversial “Green Light Law,” ruling that the government failed to show the statute violates federal authority. In a decision issued in Albany, U.S. District Judge Anne Nardacci dismissed claims brought by the U.S. Department of Justice that the law conflicts with federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit argued that the statute violates the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal law takes precedence over state law.
The Green Light Law, enacted in 2019, allows individuals to obtain driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status. The federal government’s complaint named Kathy Hochul and Letitia James as defendants alongside the state of New York. Federal officials challenged several provisions of the law, including rules that restrict the sharing of Department of Motor Vehicles records with immigration authorities unless a court order or warrant is provided. Another provision requires the DMV to notify individuals within three days if federal immigration agencies request their information.
In her ruling, Nardacci emphasized that the court’s role was not to assess the political merits of the law but to determine whether it violates the Constitution. “The Court’s role is not to evaluate the desirability of the Green Light Law as a policy matter,” she wrote, concluding that the Justice Department failed to present a valid constitutional claim. Critics of the law argue it limits information available to federal immigration and law enforcement officials, while supporters maintain it improves road safety and protects immigrant communities.
