Announced by the Department of Justice (DOJ). thorough accusation Several individuals were allegedly involved in a conspiracy to fraudulently apply for driver’s licenses for more than 1,000 people, most of whom resided in the United States illegally. The alleged scheme involved sourcing driver’s licenses in Massachusetts and New York, states that allow illegal immigrants, and selling them to illegal immigrants living in other parts of the country. (Related: Former Democratic governor who solidified California’s sanctuary law now says it went too far)

Massachusetts House Minority Leader Brad Jones said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation that he was “very concerned by the recent indictments, but not surprised.”

“The Massachusetts House Republican Caucus has warned that passing the Work and Family Mobility Act, which opens the door for undocumented immigrants to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses, will have repercussions,” Jones continued. “This is an easily foreseeable byproduct of the law.”

Jones and other Massachusetts Republicans strongly opposed a Democratic-led bill that would have allowed foreigners living in the United States illegally to obtain state-issued driver’s licenses. Democrats will hold supermajorities in both the state House and Senate in 2022. easily overwritten Republican Gov. Charlie Baker at the time vetoed the bill, citing concerns about background checks.

The bill passed in Massachusetts was very similar to the 2029 bill introduced by New York Democrats. The bill, commonly known as the “Green Light Act,” would allow individuals in the state to obtain state-issued IDs without a Social Security number, prompting opposition from federal and local authorities in Washington, D.C. , was very controversial at the time. Officials across New York state similarly expressed security concerns.

Federal prosecutors allege that the five made hundreds of thousands of dollars by selling identification cards from Massachusetts and New York to illegal immigrants living in states that actually require applicants to prove their citizenship. are.

of 23 page indictment Edvan Fernández Alves de Andrade, Leonel Texeira de Souza Jr., and Cesar Agusto Martin Reis were accused of a conspiracy to provide driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants from New York and later Massachusetts. It is detailed. They typically charge about $1,400 per license. The scheme uses a pre-generated photo of the customer to take a learner’s permit test online, and then takes the customer to a New York DMV location using documents that fraudulently show they live locally. Customers often drove there, and ended up providing hundreds of IDs to customers.

Prosecutors say the program began in New York around November 2020 and expanded to include getting a Massachusetts driver’s license around July 2023, the same month the state’s labor and family mobility law was enacted. It is said to have been expanded. took effect.

When disgraced former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, signed the green light bill into law in June 2019, county officials initially refused to comply, with some even protesting. Some were even willing to be imprisoned for the reason. Some of these officials say the alleged scheme uncovered by the Justice Department is not surprising, given that the agency had emphatically warned about these risks years ago. There are some too.

New York, NY – July 6: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Tuesday due to continued violence in New York City on July 6, 2021. Cuomo’s new proclamation would come with millions of dollars in restitution for guns and violence across the state. The governor also announced that he would sign legislation that would prohibit individuals with a valid warrant from purchasing firearms in New York State. Over the July 4th holiday, 51 people were shot in New York. (Photo by Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)

“They lowered the bar,” Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola told DCNF, explaining how the law loosened New York state’s driver’s license documentation requirements. “There are certain criteria that have to be met, six identification criteria, and when we started implementing this green light law, all of a sudden the standards started to be lowered.”

“This makes it much easier to obtain identification and permits for non-drivers,” Merola continued. He also expressed concern that the licenses make it easier for undocumented immigrants in the state to commit voting fraud, saying they are “given a nine-digit number because it looks like a driver’s license.” said.

Tolerance toward unauthorized aliens using driver’s licenses is gradually expanding across the United States, typically in Democratic-controlled states. A total of 19 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for driver’s licenses. According to Legislation tracked by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

The state of Minnesota is recent status to enact such laws. Gov. Tim Walz, who signed the state bill into law in March 2023, argued at the time that the bill would enhance public safety.

These jurisdictions typically grant ID by simply providing proof of current residence in the state and foreign documents proving identity and date of birth. But critics have long argued that providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants poses a national security risk and raises concerns about fraud.

“In reality, this policy threatens public safety and could encourage identity fraud, bank fraud, voter fraud, and even the employment of illegal aliens,” the Washington, D.C.-based group said. said the Federation for American Immigration Reform. stricter immigration laws, said about such laws. “This law also provides obscurity for those who violate the nation’s immigration laws, promotes the normalization of illegal aliens, and undermines the rule of law.”

Prosecutors say more than 600 customers obtained fake licenses through the scheme in Massachusetts and New York. In the aftermath of the failed operation, officials in the same New York counties that staunchly opposed the Green Light Act have indicated that their fears have largely come true.

“When this law goes into effect, people like me, but also people like law enforcement, immigration officials, etc. [Immigration and Customs Enforcement]All said this was a potential security threat because they did not have ready access to information, and it also provided an avenue for them to attempt to commit fraud or participate in such illegal activities.” Niagara County Clerk Joseph Jastremski said. he told DCNF.

“I’m so happy to see the ring fall apart, but it makes me wonder how many people were able to get away with similar schemes,” he continued.

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