The Justice Department sued New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Attorney General Letitia James in February. (Getty Images)
Nardacci wrote in her ruling that her job was not to evaluate the desirability of the law as a policy matter, but to determine whether the Trump administration’s arguments prove its claims that the statute violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause, which establishes that federal laws overrule state laws.
The administration has "failed to state such a claim," Nardacci wrote.
The Green Light Law, also known as the Driver’s License Access and Privacy Act, was adopted, in part, to improve road safety, as people sometimes drove without a license or without having passed a driving test. Under the measure, it is easier for these license holders to receive auto insurance.
The law states that people who do not have a valid Social Security number can submit alternative forms of ID, including valid passports and driver’s licenses issued in other countries. Applicants must still receive a driver's permit and pass a road test to qualify for a "standard driver’s license."
The legislation does not apply to commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs).
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A Department of Homeland Security vehicle sits at the southbound entrance to Interstate 91 in Newport, Vt., where a U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot dead during a traffic stop, Jan. 20, 2025. (David McGlynn for Fox News Digital)
"What [the Green Light Law] does, is that it prevents law enforcement agents from getting any type of information in regards to any registrations that the state has," Garza added. "For example, before we engage in traffic stops, typically law enforcement will always conduct a vehicle registration check to see if there's any warrants to see if that person is considered armed and dangerous."
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But Nardacci, echoing an appeals court ruling in a county clerk’s earlier challenge to the law, wrote that the information "remains available to federal immigration authorities" through a lawful court order or judicial warrant.
New York is one of a dozen states that allows illegals to drive.
Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-gives-green-light-controversial-new-york-drivers-license-law-blow-trump-admin