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Shekhar Krishnan flays Adams for vetoing NYC street vendor decriminalization bill
According to Council data, 96 percent of New York City’s street vendors are immigrants.
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Malvika Choudhary - Thu, 31, Jul 2025
- 15:36 EDT
- 22
Shekar Krishnan / X (@voteshekar)
New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan criticized Mayor Eric Adams for vetoing Intro 47-B, a bill that sought to remove criminal penalties for street vending violations.
Krishnan, who championed the legislation, accused the mayor of “doing Donald Trump’s bidding.” “Mayor Adams vetoed my legislation that protects our immigrant small business owners, who are simply trying to provide for their families, from jail time and immigration consequences,” Krishnan said in a public statement.
Also Read: Shekar Krishnan wins democratic primary in Queens' district 25
“Rather than ushering in real change for our street vendors — moving towards a fair, comprehensive, and well-regulated system — Mayor Adams is playing politics with the lives of our city's smallest business owners,” he added.
Intro 47-B had passed the City Council with a veto-proof majority and sought to remove criminal penalties for street vending violations, replacing them with civil enforcement mechanisms. The bill, according to Krishnan, was designed to protect vendors — many of whom are immigrants — from jail time and the risk of immigration enforcement.
At the dead of night, Mayor Adams vetoed Intro 47-B, historic legislation that removes jail time from street vending and passed the City Council with a veto-proof majority.
— Shekar Krishnan (@voteshekar) July 31, 2025
Council Member Shekar Krishnan, the bill's prime sponsor released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/zgQd98iBVj
The council member linked the mayor’s veto to recent federal developments, referencing President Donald Trump’s addition of 10,000 new ICE agents and his administration’s focus on targeting sanctuary cities like New York.
“With the stroke of a pen, Mayor Adams decided once again to curry favor with Trump, vetoing legislation that the City Council passed with a veto-proof majority,” Krishnan said.
“As Mayor Adams tries to endanger our city, we will not back down from a fight to protect immigrant New Yorkers and create a better system for street vendors,” he said.
According to Council data, 96 percent of New York City’s street vendors are immigrants. Krishnan said the criminal penalties targeted by the bill have long exposed these vendors to arrest, jail time, and potential immigration consequences.
In 2023, the NYPD issued over 1,200 criminal summonses for street vending — nearly three times the number issued the previous year. That figure surged to more than 9,000 in 2024, as enforcement actions escalated.
Intro 47-B aimed to decriminalize low-level violations such as vending without a permit or operating in unauthorized locations. Rather than imposing misdemeanor charges or jail time, the bill proposed civil fines as the primary enforcement tool.
The measure was based on recommendations from the city's Street Vendor Advisory Board and was supported by a broad coalition of advocacy organizations, including the Street Vendor Project and CAIR-NY.
Council spokesperson Julia Agos said the bill would have preserved the city’s ability to enforce rules through civil penalties while removing the lasting consequences of a criminal record, which can obstruct access to housing, education, and employment.
The veto now sets the stage for a possible override vote in the City Council.
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