FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill O’Reilly, 212-396-9117
February 6, 2020
NEW YORK — THE STATE THAT SUFFERED THE DEADLIEST
TERRORIST ATTACK IN U.S. HISTORY —
TOO UNSAFE FOR GLOBAL ENTRY PROGRAMS, THANKS TO NEW ‘PROGRESSIVE’ LAW
Conservative Party Calls for Restoration of Common Sense, Urgent Fix
New York-Feb. 6…Global Entry and other Trusted Travel programs, including NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST, can no longer be used by New Yorkers or New York businesses, thanks to the new, pro-illegal-immigrant “Green Light Law” passed by the Democrat-controlled State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The New York State Conservative Party today demanded immediate repeal of the law, which gives New York driver licenses to illegal immigrants.
The Department of Homeland Security yesterday announced its suspension of renewals and enrollments for New Yorkers using or seeking to use these expedited entry programs.
“Liberalism is one thing, but this is madness,” State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar said. “Thousands of New Yorkers were killed by terrorists a blink of an eye ago, and New York’s political leaders are proactively making our citizenry less safe. Governor Cuomo needs to view this Department of Homeland Security decision as a jarring wake-up call, and get busy restoring common sense security measures in our identification document and reporting systems. This is a matter of public safety.”
The 19 9/11 terrorists obtained dozens of state-issued driver licenses in advance of the attacks to help them operate freely and unnoticed on U.S. soil. Those licenses were used for, among things, the wiring of funds internationally and the Florida flight lessons that taught them how to pilot the planes.
Following the attacks, a major national effort was undertaken, culminating in the federal Real ID Act of 2005, to establish minimum security protocols for state-issued licenses. These biometric and other safeguards were developed to ensure that a license holder is who he says he is.
“The ‘Green Light Law’ flies in the face of two decades of homeland security efforts,” Mr. Kassar said, “and it makes New Yorkers more vulnerable. The Department of Homeland Security clearly agrees.”
###