Mayor Eric Adams vetoed a bill passed by the New York City Council that would decriminalize illegal vending. Adams argues the bill undermines the city-based push to clean up the streets.
Supporters of Adams' veto suggested that the City Council promoted Intro 47-B, the Street Vending Reform Bill, in part to protect illegal immigrants operating as unlicensed vendors amidst increased deportations under the Trump administration, according to The New York Post.
“Since day one, our administration has been committed not just to making New Yorkers safe, but to making them feel safe too, and that includes addressing persistent quality-of-life issues like illegal street vending," said Adams, according to New York Post. "Our law enforcement officers play a vital role in keeping our streets clear of unlicensed vendors and protecting small business owners who follow the rules from being undercut by those who don’t."
The measure passed through the city council with 40 votes in favor, 8 votes against, and 3 abstentions. Queens Councilman Robert Holden voted against the proposal. He said supporters of the bill shared their concerns about exposing migrants to immigration enforcement during debate of the bill.
“Should we exempt people from the law because they’re illegal immigrants?" said Holden to the New York Post. "That’s ridiculous."
Under current legislation, vendors operating without a required license or permit can be charged with a misdemeanor, fined up to $1,000, and given a three-month jail sentence. The reform bill would reclassify license and permit offenses as violations, with a maximum fine of $1,000 and no jail time.
"Having even a minor criminal record, such as a misdemeanor, can lead to lifelong barriers to education, employment, and housing, while also jeopardizing immigration status," said the New York City Council in a press release. "Vendors who are Black or Latino are disproportionately impacted, receiving nearly 80% of all the criminal tickets issued in 2023, while making up just 50% of the city’s overall population."
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The Council will have the option to override Adams' veto.
"The Council negotiated this bill in good faith with the Administration, only to have the mayor disregard the work of the advisory board and his own staff with this veto," said the council. "As the Trump administration continues to attack working families and immigrant communities, Mayor Adams’ veto is yet another example of him supporting Trump’s agenda over New Yorkers."
In 2023, Adams delegated the enforcement of vendor policies to the Office of Street Vendor Enforcement under the Department of Sanitation, rather than the New York Police Department. The NYPD still issued more than 1,200 criminal vending tickets, more than double those issued in 2022.
“We cannot be so idealistic that we’re not realistic," said Adams. "Preventing the brave men and women of the NYPD from intervening, even in the most egregious cases, is unfair to law-abiding business owners and poses real public health and safety risks.”
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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