SCOOP: The Trump admin drafted a slew of plans to consider not only circumventing state laws limiting the DHS access to driver records, but to retaliate against states that refuse to provide the information they seek, according to govt docs I obtained.
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
buzzfeednews.com/article/hameda…
James McCament, an influential agency figure and acting head of the DHS policy office, wrote in a signed memo dated 1/27 that the agency could use “friendly” states to collect information for federal immigration authorities that would otherwise be inaccessible by law.
The memo also included retaliation measures against states that limit access to records, such as closing down DHS offices, refusing to accept their state ID, cutting TSA PreCheck services, and potentially subpoenaing for drivers’ licenses provided to undocumented immigrants.
Here is how the plan to get the DMV records from New York would work, if executed.
We do not know if some of the options have been implemented without being publicly announced or if all are still under consideration.
We do not know if some of the options have been implemented without being publicly announced or if all are still under consideration.
Importantly, McCament frames why this option could be less than ideal: it wouldn't punish New York or others w/ similar laws.
In sum, the memo had 8 options for the DHS Sec. to consider --- two of them we know he used: cutting Global Entry for NY residents & altering policies on car exports in NY.
This memo, written a week before Wolf went public w/ the global entry news, lays out the other options.
This memo, written a week before Wolf went public w/ the global entry news, lays out the other options.
Side note: wrote this story in the last row of a plane w/ the guy in front of me reclined right into my laptop. #journolife
Also, if you are in DC & want to meet about a story ... let me know.
Also, if you are in DC & want to meet about a story ... let me know.
Late night comment from DHS:
“As the memo clearly states, the recommendations were informational, draft, and pre-decisional. The Acting Secretary did not consider the draft recommendations in his decision making.”
“As the memo clearly states, the recommendations were informational, draft, and pre-decisional. The Acting Secretary did not consider the draft recommendations in his decision making.”
Continued: “Instead, the Acting Secretary took targeted and limited action to address the security vulnerability New York’s law created.”
Context —> Two of the options listed were ultimately enforced by DHS.
Context —> Two of the options listed were ultimately enforced by DHS.
From CIS in November: cis.org/Report/New-Yor…
