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Adams vetoes street vending bill aimed to protect migrants

David Shadaha, who works at a cart called "King of Falafel & Shawarma," takes an order from a customer in midtown Manhattan, N.Y. Shadaha is back selling food after taking a job as a GrubHub deliveryman during the pandemic.
David Gura
/
NPR
David Shadaha, who works at a cart called "King of Falafel & Shawarma," takes an order from a customer in midtown Manhattan, N.Y. Shadaha is back selling food after taking a job as a GrubHub deliveryman during the pandemic.

Mayor Eric Adams is vetoing a bill that would decriminalize illegal street vending in New York City.

The city council passed a bill last month that would have unlicensed vendors no longer face possible jail time or charges for selling food on the streets. Mayor Adams says this is unfair to law-abiding business owners and poses real public health and safety risks. Most vendors are immigrants and supporters of the bill are hoping this would help protect them at a time where ICE is ratcheting up enforcement. The council appears to have enough support to override the veto and is considering its next steps.