Advocacy: It's high time Mayor Adams safeguards immigrant street merchants

In a significant move towards immigrant justice and economic equality, the New York City Council has passed a bill aimed at bringing equity, order, and dignity to street vending. Known as Intro 47, this legislation is a critical first step towards creating a fairer, smarter street vending system.

Under the current law, street vendors face up to three months in jail for vending without a license, a penalty they often cannot obtain due to a decades-old cap. This harsh penalty disproportionately affects immigrants, women, and people of colour who make up the majority of street vendors in the city.

Intro 47, if enacted, would usher in a long overdue comprehensive, enforceable, and well-regulated street vending system. The bill aims to stop the criminalization of hardworking New Yorkers who are street vendors. Vending allows parents to be home for their kids after school and enables new arrivals to contribute to their communities and build something from the ground up. These vendors are not problems to be punished, they are part of the solution.

Council members representing diverse immigrant communities in the city have seen firsthand how street vending sustains entire families and neighbourhoods. In the outer boroughs, where many immigrant vendors live and work, vending is often a first step towards economic independence.

The stakes are higher than ever as the federal government ramps up its anti-immigrant rhetoric and hires 10,000 more ICE agents. Intro 47, if enacted, would send a powerful message of protection to immigrant communities in New York City.

However, the veto for Intro 47 was issued by Mayor Bill de Blasio. The veto of Intro 47 by Mayor Eric Adams, who vetoed the bill the night before it was set to become law, is perceived as prioritising politics and former President Donald Trump over protecting small businesses and immigrant communities in New York City.

In response, the New York City Council is preparing to override three vetoes by Mayor Eric Adams, including the veto of Intro 47. A single misdemeanor can trigger immigration consequences, making decriminalizing vending not just economic justice, but immigrant justice.

Intro 47 is the first in a broader package of legislation designed to bring the vendor economy out of the shadows and into compliance. The move towards overriding the mayor's veto is a testament to the Council's commitment to ensuring fairness, justice, and economic opportunity for all New Yorkers. Street vending is a visible expression of immigrant entrepreneurship in New York City, and it is crucial that we support and protect those who contribute to our city's vibrant cultural and economic landscape.