Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Erie County Clerk, Michael Kearns says he welcomes input from the Department of Justice in the lawsuit that he has filed against New York State's Green Light Law. Numerous county clerks have requested that the DOJ weigh in on the case brought by Kearns against the recent law passed in Albany that would grant driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. Kearns holds that granting the licenses would put him in violation of federal law.
"If you're here illegally, you’ve violated the law. When people come into the DMV every day, people I know, they may have maybe, missed a payment for child support, they violated our driving laws, our vehicle and traffic laws, I have to say to them, you violated the law, I cannot help you." Kearns, who appeared on WBEN's Hardline Sunday noted that the DOJ's involvement is welcomed, but he is also a bit concerned about the motion filed by the DOJ which asked for more time, "When the filed that motion with the court asking to intervene, they wanted to extend time. Arguments were set to begin on October 23rd...but the thing that concerns me is we have a law, it is the law of the land. Nothing has changed just because I filed a lawsuit. On December 14th, people who are here illegally can get drivers' licenses.”
The motion filed by the DOJ could push arguments to November 12th.