NEW YORK (WCBS 880) – Two Democratic lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee are launching an investigation into the Department of Homeland Security after it singled out New York when banning the state from the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP) earlier this year.
Rep. Kathleen Rice and Rep. Bennie Thompson announced Saturday that they’re investigating the DHS, saying they now know for sure that banning New York from the TTP was “political retribution.”
“It appears DHS officials made false statements to Congress—an intolerable turn of events for a Department charged with enforcing Federal law,” the two said in a statement. “Through our investigation, we will seek to understand why this happened and determine who is responsible.”
The DHS banned New York from the TTP in February because of the state’s so-called Green Light Law, which gave undocumented immigrants access to driver’s licenses.
At the time, DHS said New York was the only state that had such a law, but other parts of the country like Washington, D.C. already had it in place. DHS admitted in a court filing last week that it was wrong to make the statements, according to The Hill.
On Thursday, the DHS announced it would restore the TTP for New Yorkers “effective immediately.”
On Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo called out acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf as well as his deputy, Ken Cuccinelli. The governor said their ban on the program contributed to the coronavirus spread through crowding at airports.
“I believe Mr. Wolf and Mr. Cuccinelli have possible criminal liability. I believe there is civil liability,” Cuomo said. “It was a clear abuse of government power for political purposes.”