In a momentous press conference that took place on Wednesday, February 12, President Donald Trump’s Attorney General, Pam Bondi, announced that she had led the Department of Justice in filing charges against the state of New York, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and New York DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder. She alleged that the officials had failed to enforce federal immigration law.
Namely, Bondi noted that, under its “Green Light” law, New York had been issuing driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. Speaking about that during the press conference, she said that the “new DOJ” would be taking action to protect American citizens from the horrible impacts of illegal immigration, such as crime and tragedy.
She said, commenting on that matter and describing against whom in New York her DOJ had brought charges, “We’re here today because we have filed charges against the state of New York. We have filed charges against Kathy Hochul. We have filed charges against Letitia James and Mark Schroeder, who is with DMV.”
She then noted that her DOJ will be different from what Americans have seen in the past, saying, “This is a new DOJ, and we are taking steps to protect Americans, American citizens and angel moms.” She further added, “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops today. We sued Illinois. New York did not listen. Now you’re next.”
AG Bondi went on to call out New York’s infamous “Green Light Law.” Passed in 2019, that law allows “all New Yorkers age 16 and older to apply for a standard, not-for-federal-purpose, non-commercial driver license or learner permit regardless of their citizenship or lawful status in the United States.”
Bondi slammed it and then noted that her DOJ would be taking a strong stand against illegal immigration and its consequences, to the point of even fighting New York. She said, “Violent criminals, gang members, drug traffickers, human smugglers will no longer terrorize the American people, and that is why we are here today.”
Continuing, Bondi said she didn’t want to be involved in suing Hochul and the others, but would do so in this case and others until stat officials get in line and start following federal law. Bondi said, “We don’t want to sue you. We don’t want to prosecute people. We want people to comply with the law.”
AG Bondi also noted, during the press conference, that she had first gone after Illinois, another notoriously pro-illegal immigration state, but New York didn’t take heed, so now she is having to go after New York as well. She said, “New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens. It stops. It stops. It stops today. We sued Illinois, and New York didn’t listen, so now, you’re next.” Watch Bondi here:
This suit comes amidst other moves from Bondi to fight pro-illegal immigration states. For example, upon becoming AG, she issued an order that ceases any funding to any jurisdictions that “unlawfully interfere with federal law enforcement operations.” Further, she ordered, “State and local jurisdictions must comply with applicable immigration-related federal laws” and “state and local actors may not impede, obstruct, or otherwise fail to comply with lawful immigration-related directives.”