Selling candy and snacks in public spaces has long been a hustle for working class New Yorkers, but this phenomenon has considerably picked up since the city has seen a recent influx of migrants who are trying to make a living with limited resources. Now, agencies are taking preventative steps to reduce the number of children selling food without the proper licenses.
According to Mayor Eric Adams’ office, NYC will begin distributing fliers to discourage migrant families from permitting their kids to sell candy on the streets and subway, as there is a collective concern regarding their welfare.
The city Department of Homeless Services, the NYPD, the MTA, and homeless outreach contractors will hand out palm cards stating that unlicensed selling is illegal and can result in fines, and post fliers inside shelters housing migrant families, as reported by the mayor’s office. The handouts will also provide contact information about access to school, childcare, and the rights of workers and migrants.
Unlicensed vending on the subway and streets violates several rules and laws, including state restrictions pertaining to whether minors can work and what kind of jobs they can have. State law also requires all kids between the ages of 6 and 16 to be enrolled in school.
Earlier this year, the city created a task force to address the issue of migrant children selling food instead of being in school.
According to Anne Williams-Isom, the deputy mayor for health and human services, the information on the planned handouts will be given to migrant families when they enter the shelter system as part of their intake process.
Though certain homeless and immigration advocates have expressed skepticism about the outreach plan, saying the city’s policy of forcing migrant families to leave shelters or reapply for it after 60 days has made it even more difficult for them to find work and keep their kids in school.
Recent data released by the City Council showed nearly 700 students left the city’s school system between January, when the 60-day policy went into effect, and March. Although it is not fully clear how many of those children were migrants or just relocated to other places.
Murad Awawdeh, director of New York Immigration Coalition, an advocacy initiative, also voiced concerns about the effects of shelter limits, and argues the city’s case management process is a central issue, as it focuses on getting migrants out of the shelter system rather than helping them find permanent housing.
