“His silence as a member of the Homeland Security Committee is putting the safety of all New Yorkers at risk.”

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, the Republican and Conservative Party candidate in New York’s hotly contested 11th Congressional District, today called out Rep. Max Rose on New York State’s new Green Light Law which took effect on New Year’s Day. The law, which permits illegal immigrants to apply for New York State driver licenses, also restricts background information from being released to federal and state law enforcement agencies regarding the individual without a court order or a warrant and requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to notify the license holder within 3 days that a request from a law enforcement agency has been received.

Rep. Rose a member of the House Homeland Security Committee has remained silent on the legislation, unlike Republican colleagues from the New York State delegation who wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice voicing their concerns; a matter that the DOJ is now investigating. Malliotakis, referring to Rep. Rose’s inaction said, “Max Rose’s silence is deafening and that silence is putting the lives and well-being of all New Yorkers at risk.”

The Green Light Law permits an estimated 260,000 illegal immigrants residing in New York State to apply, without risk, for a driver’s license, knowing that the state Department of Motor Vehicles must notify the license holder of a law enforcement inquiry.

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said, “New Yorkers should be concerned that Congressman Max Rose, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, has remained silent while New York’s Green Light Law has taken effect. It is bizarre enough that Governor Cuomo would sign into law a measure that would provide legal documents to individuals who are in our state and nation illegally. But it is even more disturbing that a Congressman, who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, would remain silent as this law was put into effect. Max Rose’s silence is deafening and that silence is putting the lives and well-being of all New Yorkers at risk.

“The ill-conceived Green Light Law may be praised by Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and her radical left-wing allies but, the fact of the matter is, it defies established federal laws and, by doing so, assails the rule of law that has governed our nation since its founding. More importantly, under this new law, many applicants will be issued licenses after submitting expired documents from their homeland; documents which county clerks and the state DMV simply don’t have the means or manpower to verify as real.

“In its report, the 9/11 Commission specifically cautioned against issuing any form of legitimate identification to individuals who submitted expired foreign documents as proof of identification. Obviously, Max Rose chooses to ignore the 9/11 Commission’s warning despite being appointed by Nancy Pelosi as member of the House Homeland Security Committee and Chair of its subcommittee on Intelligence and Counter-terrorism.

“In addition, the Green Light Law defies common sense by requiring notification of the license holder that a law enforcement agency has made an information request. In reality, this requirement will merely allow a possible terrorist or criminal a head-start when they go into hiding to avoid contact with law enforcement. The fact that Max Rose, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, would not vocally object to this ridiculous requirement makes one wonder if he truly understands the constant threat New York and the nation still face nearly 19 years after the attacks of 9/11. Whether it’s the Green Light Law, Bail Reform or New York City’s Sanctuary City policies, Max Rose seems incapable of speaking-up and taking-on his colleagues in the Democrat Party.

“It’s time for Max Rose to stand-up, using the bully pulpit of his office and his position on the House Homeland Security Committee, to join me in insisting that Governor Cuomo and his fellow Democrats in the New York State Legislature take immediate steps to address this misguided and dangerous legislation.”