Senator Croci Calls for Immediate Action from Governor Cuomo On Major Homeland Security Initiatives

Media Contacts:                                                                                                                                           

Christine Geed, Communications Specialist

geed@nysenate.gov or (631) 398-8044

 Jennifer Freeman Romero, Press Secretary

jfreeman@nysenate.gov or (631) 513-5657

PRESS RELEASE

Thursday, September 24, 2015

For Immediate Release

September 24, 2015

NYS SENATOR CROCI’S LETTER TO GOVERNOR CUOMO ON THE NEW YORK STATE TERRORIST REGISTRY AND NEW YORK DMV NON-COMPLIANCE WITH “REAL ID” ACT

Senator Tom Croci Calls On Action from Governor Regarding Two Significant Homeland Security Measures:  The New York State Terrorist Registry and New York’s Non-Compliance with Federal Law Passed After 9/11

Hauppauge, NY - New York State Senator Thomas D. Croci (R – Sayville) today called on immediate action from Governor Cuomo regarding two major homeland security actions.

The first measure is the establishment of the New York State Terrorist Registry, introduced through legislation (S.3464-B) by Senator Croci and passed by the Senate last session.  The legislation seeks to establish a tool to allow law enforcement to monitor the whereabouts of those that have been convicted of terrorist acts and have been released and are residing, working, or attending an educational institution in our state.  This act would also allow law enforcement officials to immediately detain and arrest any previously convicted terrorist with a presence in our state who has failed to comply with the registration requirements.

“Right now in our state, a previously convicted terrorist can walk out of prison after serving a sentence for an act of terrorism and reside or work anywhere in our state, undetected. The terrorists that carried out 9/11 taught us that our vigilance to protect our nation and our citizens cannot waver or we risk severe vulnerability to additional terrorist attacks. This registry is important because it gives our law enforcement the vigilance it needs to do its job of protecting us,” said Senator Croci.

In addition to the State Terrorist Registry measure, New York is also in non-compliance with a federal law passed after recommendations from the 9/11 Commission Report.  The REAL ID Act passed in 2005 and requires all states to become compliant with new restrictions on accessing state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in an effort to prevent terrorists from evading detection by using fraudulent identification. New York is one of four states that have yet to become compliant with the law.

“New York is the number one terrorist target in the world and the last thing our Governor and state Department of Motor Vehicles should do is put us in harm’s way by not limiting fraudulent access to identification cards for those individuals in our state who are here illegally and seek to do us harm,” said Senator Croci. “We have an obligation to adhere to our federal laws and I am calling on the Governor to comply with the REAL ID Act immediately. The Governor recently applied for a federal extension via a waiver, signaling New York’s intent to bring our state to compliance. It is my hope that Governor Cuomo will use the extension time to revamp our system to full compliance to ensure not only our safety, but that New Yorker’s are not inconvenienced when traveling on domestic flights because our identification cards will deny us passage through the TSA at airports, as we have been informed recently by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  New York has had access to federal funds since 2008, as well as state grant funding, to allow for compliance of this law; therefore there should be no additional cost to New Yorkers on this effort.”

“I believe the Governor is in a significant position to vastly improve the security of our state from the next act of terror and I am looking forward to working with him to move these homeland security initiatives to reality, because it is not ‘if’ there will be another attack attempted on us, but when,” stated Senator Croci.

All media inquiries should be directed to Senator Croci’s Communications Specialist, Christine Geed at (631) 398-8044 (call or text) or via email at geed@nysenate.gov.  Inquiries for additional information should be directed to Senator Croci’s Press Secretary, Jennifer Freeman Romero at (631) 513-5657 or via email at jfreeman@nysenate.gov

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