Advocates Push for Expanded Access as Immigrants Face Ongoing Enforcement Crackdown
The Fight for Fair Street Vending in New York City
For nearly two decades, Mahmoud Zaed has navigated the challenges of running a halal food truck in New York City–from expensive permit acquisition to constant police harassment. His story reflects a broader struggle: approximately 23,000 street vendors operate on NYC streets, with 96% being immigrants, primarily from Mexico, Ecuador, Egypt, and Senegal. Most operate without licenses, exposing them to fines, confiscation, and immigration enforcement risks.
The Enforcement Challenge: Fines That Devastate Communities
Enforcement has intensified dramatically. The NYPD issued 9,376 vending tickets in 2024–more than twice the 4,213 issued in 2023. Vendors report devastating financial consequences. Miguel Varela, a merchandise vendor from Mexico, has received eight tickets over two years, some exceeding $7,000. For workers earning between $250 and $1,000 weekly, such fines represent genuine hardship. Confiscation incidents compound the problem–one vendor lost approximately $10,000 in goods when authorities seized his strawberries, oranges, and equipment.
Policy Progress and Ongoing Barriers
Legislative action has brought modest progress. The City Council overrode Mayor Eric Adams’ veto in September, passing legislation that decriminalized unlicensed vending by replacing misdemeanor penalties with civil fines. However, the core problem persists: the city maintains arbitrary caps on permits that haven’t expanded meaningfully in decades.
A Path Toward Fairness
Proposed reform legislation would address this structural inequality. A comprehensive reform package would create 2,000 new food vending licenses and 2,100 general vending licenses annually over five years, prioritizing individuals waiting over a decade. The proposal balances vendor access with targeted enforcement against serious violations and repeat offenders. With 20,000 complaints annually but only 35 enforcement officers, the current system favors neither legitimate vendors nor effective municipal regulation. Street vendors form the backbone of New York’s street-level economy, serving neighborhoods and feeding families. Whether the city moves toward fairness or continues arbitrary enforcement remains a defining question for how New York treats working immigrants.
