NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it would no longer allow for New Yorkers to enroll "trusted traveler'' programs.
The change is a response to the new state law that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses and blocks federal immigration officials including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officials from accessing motor vehicle records.
According to a three-page letter from the DHS to state officials, the "Green Light" law prevents federal agencies from protecting residents from "menacing threats to national security and public safety.''
The changes suspends travel programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST, meant to expedite entry into the United States for low-risk travelers in New Yorkers and are effective immediately says the agency's secretary, Chad Wolf.
The program is used nationwide by millions and are often used at airports in order to bypass long customs and border protection lines.
The sweeping move came a day after President Donald Trump slammed New York, a sanctuary city, in his State of the Union address.
Rich Azzopardi, a senior advisor to Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the move by DHS was politically motivated. "This is obviously political retaliation by the federal government and we're going to review our legal options," Azzopardi said.
Sanctuary cities provide added protection to immigrants and refuse to cooperate with federal officials, and federal law enforcement which has only escalated since Trump took office.
Cuomo approved the Green Light law last summer, allowing undocumented immigrants to use foreign-issued documents in order to prove their age and identity and apply for driving privileges.
Both lawmakers and Cuomo feared that ICE and CBP would be able to easily obtain information about people seeking a license, and possibly making it easier for them to be deported.