In a victory for state-level immigration autonomy, U.S. District Judge Anne M. Nardacci upheld New York’s Green Light Law, which allows residents to obtain standard driver’s licenses without proof of lawful status. The Trump administration had argued the measure interfered with federal enforcement and violated the Supremacy Clause; the court disagreed, finding that federal immigration agencies can still access DMV data with a warrant and that the statute falls squarely within the state’s police powers to regulate roads and insurance.
For global-mobility programs, the ruling is more than a local headline. New York’s DMV now processes roughly 80,000 applications a year from non-status residents—many of whom are spouses and dependents of employment-based visa holders who have fallen out of status because of adjudication backlogs. Access to a license removes a major barrier to commuting, completing I-9-compliant employment once work authorization is regained, and purchasing auto insurance.
Corporations with large workforces in New York must update HR handbooks: an employee’s ‘standard’ (non-REAL ID) license no longer guarantees lawful presence, so onboarding teams should continue to rely on federal List-A or List-C documents for Form I-9.
![New York’s ‘Green Light’ Driver’s-License Law for Undocumented Immigrants Survives Federal Challenge]()
Conversely, assignees who cannot renew visas abroad due to consulate closures can, at least, maintain driving privileges and insurance coverage while waiting for USCIS decisions.
Amid these shifting requirements, VisaHQ can simplify the other side of the mobility equation by providing real-time guidance and online processing for U.S. visas and travel documents—services that integrate smoothly with corporate mobility workflows. HR teams and individual travelers can explore options at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
The decision may influence similar statutes pending in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. It also intensifies the policy split between ‘motor-voter’ states and jurisdictions that deny licenses to undocumented residents—creating a patchwork that corporate fleet managers must navigate when relocating employees. Mobility advisers should map licensing rules to assignment destinations and counsel transferees accordingly.
While the Justice Department could appeal, experts believe reversal is unlikely given existing appellate precedent. Businesses should therefore plan for stable licensing rules in New York through at least 2026, including anticipated growth in DMV wait times and translation-verification needs.
For global-mobility programs, the ruling is more than a local headline. New York’s DMV now processes roughly 80,000 applications a year from non-status residents—many of whom are spouses and dependents of employment-based visa holders who have fallen out of status because of adjudication backlogs. Access to a license removes a major barrier to commuting, completing I-9-compliant employment once work authorization is regained, and purchasing auto insurance.
Corporations with large workforces in New York must update HR handbooks: an employee’s ‘standard’ (non-REAL ID) license no longer guarantees lawful presence, so onboarding teams should continue to rely on federal List-A or List-C documents for Form I-9.
Conversely, assignees who cannot renew visas abroad due to consulate closures can, at least, maintain driving privileges and insurance coverage while waiting for USCIS decisions.
Amid these shifting requirements, VisaHQ can simplify the other side of the mobility equation by providing real-time guidance and online processing for U.S. visas and travel documents—services that integrate smoothly with corporate mobility workflows. HR teams and individual travelers can explore options at https://www.visahq.com/united-states/.
The decision may influence similar statutes pending in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. It also intensifies the policy split between ‘motor-voter’ states and jurisdictions that deny licenses to undocumented residents—creating a patchwork that corporate fleet managers must navigate when relocating employees. Mobility advisers should map licensing rules to assignment destinations and counsel transferees accordingly.
While the Justice Department could appeal, experts believe reversal is unlikely given existing appellate precedent. Businesses should therefore plan for stable licensing rules in New York through at least 2026, including anticipated growth in DMV wait times and translation-verification needs.
