Acting DHS secretary: States playing politics with public safety by giving drivers licenses to illegals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf said Tuesday that a new New Jersey bill allowing illegal immigrants to apply for and receive driver's licenses is dangerous to both public safety and national security.
The bill was approved by the New Jersey Legislature on Monday and sent to the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat who was expected to sign it.
Appearing on "Fox & Friends" with host Steve Doocy, Wolf said the "Green Light" bill would restrict the DHS's access to Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) data that could aid them in their investigations.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO BE ABLE TO GET DRIVER'S LICENSES IN NY AFTER LEGAL CHALLENGE FAILS
Wolf said that "officers who are investigating crimes, building cases, and looking at suspects are not going to have the data to do their jobs and make their communities safer."
The bill would give illegal immigrants over age 16 the "Green Light" to obtain driver's licenses. Under the terms, foreign documents such as passports or a driver's license can be submitted and used in the application process. A Social Security number is not required. A dozen other states have similar legislation on the books.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's very similar to what we see with sanctuary policies around the country that, again, are not protecting the communities and the law enforcement officers trying to do their job[s]," said Wolf.
He told Doocy that he thinks the bill is "playing politics with public safety."
"And, that's really concerning from a 'protecting the homeland' perspective," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Meantime, video shot outside a DMV facility in the Queens borough of New York City showed a long line stretching around a city block, as illegal immigrants waited to file their applications for licenses. New York's law took effect Monday.
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Wolf said he thought that awarding illegal activity becomes an incentive for other illegal immigrants to try to enter the country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I would say that any time we reward illegal behavior, illegal activity, that's problematic for us," he concluded. "And what we have seen, particularly on the border, is that encourages more populations, more individuals, to come here illegally, which puts a larger strain on DHS's capabilities to secure the border and the like."