Niagara Leader

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today introduced the Ensuring States Support Law Enforcement Act to require each state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to share information and data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23) is an original cosponsor of this legislation. Specifically, this bill requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide information to DHS in order to receive funds through the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. This will enable federal immigration authorities to access the information contained within DMV databases when performing traffic stops and immigration checks. Currently, New York is the only state that does not allow this information sharing.

"Illegal immigrants have swarmed our state, causing chaos in our streets," said Congresswoman Tenney. "Current state law does not allow the DMV to share critical records with Customs and Border Patrol agents, making it nearly impossible to track down dangerous criminals. I recently hosted multiple law enforcement roundtables, where I met with local CBP agents and police officers. One of the top issues shared with me was this inability to cross-check and share information across law enforcement agencies. This legislation is a simple solution to the problems outlined by local law enforcement by promoting cooperation among the multiple levels of law enforcement. I will continue to ensure the brave men and women dedicated to protecting our communities have the resources and information they need to effectively and safely do their job."