Letters

Governor Andrew Cuomo has declared “political extortion,” declaring that he will not be bullied, and is now threatening to sue the Trump administration for freezing New Yorkers out of programs that will allow travelers to quickly pass through airport security, including the Global Entry and Trusted Traveler programs [“Sag Harbor Man A Casualty Of ‘White House Retribution’ As Expedited International Clearances Suspended By Administration,” 27east.com, February 10]. He’s no stranger to the tactic of political bullying himself — there is a delicious irony to this impasse.

Our governor cannot abide having his new Green Light Law exposed for the sheer folly it represents. This law provides a means for illegal aliens to obtain a driver’s license without proper documentation, explicitly states that it cannot be used for “federal purposes,” and specifically denies Department of Motor Vehicle records to Homeland Security and ICE.

A consequence of this lunacy is that local law enforcement throughout the state now cannot provide Border Patrol information on someone they are searching for if the records contain DMV information. The legislation is complex, and it will be only a matter of time before law enforcement officers are faced with lawsuits for non-compliance as they try to perform their duties in protecting public safety.

Now, add to this the newly enacted state “no bail” law — it will only serve to magnify the progressive boondoggle overtaking Albany.

Nationally, the New Way Forward Act has just been introduced into Congress, endorsed by 44 House Democrats, including such progressive stalwarts as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. This proposed legislation specifically states: “Convictions should not lead to deportation.” This bill targets felony convictions, not parking tickets, small quantities of marijuana or DWIs. Congressman Jesus Garcia explicitly states that this bill will stop the “prison to deportation pipeline.”

Under this new bill, with crimes of moral turpitude, such as molesting a child, the perpetrator will be protected from deportation. The charge of aggravated felony is eliminated as well. Charges of child sexual abuse, robbery, fraud and racketeering will no longer require automatic deportation.

This madness also extends to — wait for it — falsifying a passport.

Under the NWFA, any immigrant committing such crimes would remain in the USA and still be eligible for future citizenship someday. One can readily envision a Mexican drug cartel leader being released from prison and then freely return to America, either legally or illegally, since the bill decriminalizes illegal entry into the United States, even if you have been previously deported.

The truly pathetic part of all this progressive fatuity is that if anyone should disagree with their agenda, they will be labeled a racist, or a white supremacist, instead of someone with the simple common sense that was endowed in most people from birth, and the natural ability to discern folly from freedom.

John Porta

Westhampton