O’Mara again blasts ‘reckless’ one-party control of state government as New York gets set to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants on Monday

Albany, N.Y., December 13-State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today joined many local county clerks across New York to oppose the state’s implementation on Monday of a new law allowing the state to issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.

Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Democrat leaders of the state Legislature made the enactment of the so-called “Green Light” legislation (S1747/A3675) a priority during the 2019 legislative session.

O’Mara voted against the legislation and again today criticized the move as reckless and the product of one-party, radically progressive, Democrat control of state government.

“Governor Cuomo and the Legislature’s Democrats are behind the wheel recklessly speeding this state down a radical, irresponsible road to ruin as a high-taxing, big- spending haven for lawbreakers.  Welcome to one-party control,” said O’Mara. “Lawbreaking illegal immigrants should never be rewarded with a government-issued driver’s license.  It puts public safety and security at risk, imposes another unfunded mandate on counties, and asks local, law-abiding public servants to break the law.” 

The new law beginning Monday permits  illegal immigrants to apply for a standard New York State driver’s license using forms of foreign identification. Among numerous concerns, O’Mara and other opponents argue that county clerks and employees at local Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are unable to verify the authenticity of foreign IDs.

The New York Association of County Clerks opposes the action and county clerks locally and throughout the state continue to raise concerns. Several clerks are also pursuing lawsuits to overturn the action.

[Watch Senator O'Mara comments on the floor of the Senate during debate earlier this year]