WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) ─ Governor Andrew Cuomo met with President Donald Trump Thursday afternoon to negotiate a truce over a controversial New York state law.
The “Green Light Law” allows all New York residents, including undocumented immigrants, to apply for and receive a state driver’s license. The law also prevents the New York DMV from sharing information with the Department of Homeland Security.
The Trump administration retaliated against the law by announcing New York residents will no longer be eligible to apply for or renew their enrollment in certain Trusted Traveler Programs, like Global Entry ─ which speeds travelers through immigration and customs at airports and ports of entry.
“I’m cooperating, will you now stop doing what you’re doing?” Cuomo asked Trump during an interview with CNN prior to the meeting.
“We will give you whatever information you want from the DMV database ─ for the Trusted Traveler program,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo said the retaliation all stems from politics and pushing Trump’s immigration agenda.
But Acting Deputy Secretary with the Department of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli said it’s about public safety and national security.
“The response we made is not related to them giving illegal immigrants licenses that is a common misperception,” he said. “The reason DHS took the steps it did…because of the blocking of information flowing whether people are illegal or legal – it’s simply to know who’s in front of you.”
In a tweet prior to the meeting, Trump said Cuomo “must understand that National Security far exceeds politics.”
“New York must stop all of its unnecessary lawsuits and harassment, start cleaning itself up and lowering taxes. Build relationships, but don’t bring Fredo!” Trump said, referring to Cuomo’s brother, CNN host Chris Cuomo, as a character from the Godfather.
Neither Cuomo nor Trump elaborated on the meeting, but a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said it was “productive.”
