New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated that he will make concessions to President Donald Trump in a long-standing dispute over the state's pro-immigrant 'sanctuary' policies.

In radio interviews on Wednesday, Cuomo said he would allow federal officials limited access to a Department of Motor Vehicles database if the Trump administration reverses its move to block state residents from Global Entry and other programs that allow travelers to avoid long border security lines.

The governor's unexpected comments came just hours before he is set to meet Trump on Thursday to discuss the issue that's had the pair at odds for the past week.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo indicated that he will make concessions to President Donald Trump in a long-standing dispute over the state's pro-immigrant 'sanctuary' policies just hours before the pair are set to meet on Thursday

New York officials filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the Department of Homeland Security's move to block New York residents from 'trusted traveler' programs, including Global Entry.

Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli announced last week that New Yorkers would no longer be allowed to enroll or re-enroll in the traveler programs.

The ban will affect at least 175,000 residents enrolled in the programs - which include Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, and FAST - and about 30,000 commercial truck drivers who make crossings into the US from Canada.

New York's lawsuit claims the Trump administration's decision was intended to punish the state for enacting the Green Light Law - which allows undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses and bars federal immigration agents from accessing state motor vehicle records.

But Cuccinelli said it was a necessary step because New York's new law had endangered public safety by making it tougher for immigration and border agents to quickly confirm someone's identification, check for fugitive warrants or see if a person has a criminal record.

New York officials filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the Department of Homeland Security's move to block New Yorkers from 'trusted traveler' programs, including Global Entry

Cuomo, a Democrat, previously called the Trump administration's move 'extortion' and an effort to punish New York for political purposes, noting that federal officials can access criminal records from the FBI, while state driving records can contain lower-level driving violations.

New York's DMV database now includes people who are in the US illegally but who have driver's licenses.

Cuomo said he believes Trump simply wants access to records on those people, so federal immigration officials can have a 'feeding frenzy.'

He noted that people who are in the US illegally couldn't apply for the 'trusted traveler' programs anyway because it would be tantamount to turning themselves over to federal agents.

'I will never give them access to the DMV database,' Cuomo said Friday. 'And I think that's what they really want.'

The governor said he's calling the Trump administration's 'bluff'.

'Because if they don't accept this, then what they're admitting is they're just playing politics,' Cuomo said.

He pulled back on Wednesday ahead of his meeting with Trump, saying that he will propose limited access to state driving records, but only those belonging to applicants for traveler programs who undergo a sit-down interview with federal officials and supply documents such as a passport.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said Wednesday that the president simply wants to keep Americans safe.

He said that New York City residents understand the importance of ensuring people have proper identification when they enter the country in light of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the city.

'I hope that Gov Cuomo can work with the president and come forward with some type of solution that allows the federal government to do its main function, which is to protect all Americans and their families,' Gidley said.

Trump called Cuomo 'stupid' over the issue last week after he claimed the governor canceled a meeting they had planned.

'Very hard to work with New York - So stupid. All they do is sue me all the time!' the president tweeted.

Trump called Cuomo 'stupid' last week after he claimed the governor canceled a meeting they had planned to discuss the Department of Homeland Security's trusted traveler ban

Trump was responding to a tweet by New York Republican Rep Elise Stefanik, who criticized the Green Light Law.

Stefanik wrote: 'Once again, Governor Cuomo's reckless Green Light Law is hindering our federal and state law enforcement and other agencies from doing their jobs, and is now preventing law abiding citizens from receiving access to important travel programs.

'I warned Governor Cuomo that this irresponsible policy would inhibit our CBP officers at the Northern Border from doing their jobs,' she added.

When the Green Light Law was signed last June, immigrants were seen lining up at DMVs around New York to get their hands on licenses.

More than a dozen states have passed laws allowing people who are not legal US residents to get driver's licenses.

Trump attacked so-called sanctuary cities in his State of the Union address, singling out New York for particular criticism.

Trump highlighted the case of Reeaz Khan, 21, an illegal migrant from Guyana accused of raping and murdering 92-year-old Maria Fuertes in Queens.

ICE has accused New York authorities of denying a detainment request they placed on Khan because of his immigration status after he was arrested six weeks earlier for assaulting his father with a broken coffee mug.

ICE argued the state's sanctuary policies were to blame for the release.