Immigration Enforcement Dominates Gubernatorial Race
Immigration enforcement is emerging as a significant topic in the ongoing gubernatorial election.
Republican hopeful Bruce Blakeman has accused the Democratic incumbent, Kathy Hochul, of granting commercial truck driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants.
Blakeman claims that under Hochul, over half of New York’s commercial driver’s licenses were issued to undocumented drivers, with some of these licenses even marked as “name unknown” or “address unknown.”
He remarked that the Hochul Motor Vehicle Bureau issues these licenses without confirming the legal status or residency of the applicants, which he argues breaches federal safety regulations.
“Governor Hochul is knowingly putting New Yorkers at risk. She’s issuing commercial licenses to individuals who shouldn’t be operating large trucks, and this could have deadly outcomes,” said Blakeman, who currently serves as the Nassau County executive.
Interestingly, the New York DMV has previously issued commercial driver’s licenses without a name designation, as reported last fall.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt noted that a man who was part of a raid detaining 125 illegal immigrants had a New York commercial driver’s license that read “No Name Given” in place of his first and middle names.
The DMV defended its process, stating that the license was issued after identity verification through federal documents, asserting that the driver had “lawful status” via the federal employment authorization program.
Hochul’s office reiterated this defense, emphasizing that CDL regulations are dictated by federal guidelines, not local authorities.
New York also has laws that permit illegal immigrants to obtain standard driver’s licenses.
Blakeman criticized Hochul’s policies, linking them to two fatal accidents involving commercial vehicles.
One incident involved an illegal immigrant, Isung Huang, who was responsible for a major crash on Interstate 40 in Tennessee that resulted in one death and several injuries.
Another tragedy occurred last November in Indiana, where Goderj Gujabidze, an undocumented immigrant from Brooklyn, caused a multi-vehicle crash that killed a 23-year-old National Guardsman.
“Hochul’s policies allow individuals without adequate screening or training, and even those with revoked licenses, to operate large trucks. This poses a serious public safety risk,” Blakeman expressed.
He added, “My administration will restore a sense of decency and order. For every CDL issued improperly, we’re denying it to a law-abiding New Yorker.”
Blakeman’s stance on immigration aligns closely with former President Trump.
Meanwhile, Hochul’s campaign defended her track record on public safety, highlighting that she has made historic investments aimed at reducing crime, while accusing Blakeman of enabling rising violent crime rates in Nassau.
“While Hochul has prioritized public safety, Blakeman has failed to support local law enforcement when it mattered,” stated Ryan Radulowacki, a spokesperson for Hochul’s campaign.
Hochul advocates for sanctuary policies and has expressed her intention to pursue legislation that restricts ICE operations in sensitive areas like schools and hospitals unless there is a judicial warrant.
She has also called for measures against what she terms “unchecked federal aggression,” proposing that New Yorkers should be able to sue federal agents for constitutional violations.
This stance resonates with Democrats who have voiced concerns about allegations of ICE mistreatment, particularly in relation to incidents like the controversial shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
