Immigrant Vending

ýbt TUESDAY, JULY 12, 1005

CityOpens StreetVending to legalImmigrants Citfensho Check, a P©Ncy A m 1930s fshcarrf Era, Reversed citizensas far back as 1938, in an effort grasped her pen tightly as she dared to clear the Lower East Side of Jewish outside City Ha11.1be49-yearoldimmiand peddlers, according to the gtam who has three gold markings W& W the W& ýItalian on her teeth, one in the form of a star of -"Or" I of t, Ur;;s the1079": I%k the city qxnW vend, "lhisis a form of discrimination,this -said shemade two prayers of thanksis a form of harassment," a Brooklyn giving yesterday afternoon. Maw Bloomberg_ýý into law a Democrat, Charles Baron,who was the "I am thankful first to God and next billrepeallngthecouncil'smain sponsor of the law; said to the mayoar," Ms. Samba, who moved FMUV=R= of the food and general vendor laws requiring that yesterday. "As an immigrant you can to New York about 12 years ago from officials check the citizenship status of pay taxes, you can die in Iraq, but you Cuenca, Ecuador, said in Spanish. license applicants. can't get a vending license. Come on "We have foughtfor so many years to Vendingwas the lestof matt thanso now, that doesn't maw sense" be where we are, all united," she said. licenses the Department of Consumer Yestert dozens of Savored ice sellShe said her neat stop was to pay a Affairs regulates to use won ears front Bushwidk, kniddmadk hawk- ticket for illegally vending, but outstatus as a criterion for certification. ers from Chinatown, and flower venside City Hall, she was pure elation. "I That, Mr. Bloomberg said, contradicted dors from the Bronx celebrated their won what I wanted," she said. "I won an executive order he passed in Sep. victory together on the steps of City _ tember 2003 that forbids city employ. Hall. Men and women who spend their Ms. Samba and the other vendors as$ from asking immigration status ex- days walking the cityls meets crowded gathered at City Hall will still have a cept in remain crimwl investigations. imo the braildingta domedfir, long wait befwe they can vend legally. "Tldslegislation wiilibringthevend.a glimpse of the mayor Although there are thousands ofillegal inglawimo conim=itywiththerant of signingthebm under the city law and with the ply of this ad. There was mom for just a few at the now law, not all of those who lack visas ministtatiW the mayor said. signing ceremony, but a representative to work inAmericawill qualifytoapply Tlselawwascelebratedinian nigrant of tare Mayan's Office of 5mmirant Af- for a license.Applicantswill need a tax eomamaitiea, where legislators and 1o- fairs made sure there were enough identification munber, photo identifical leaders have often criticized the signing pens to go around afterward. cation, and a certificateto collect sales mayor for not doing enough to enforce A woman who sells ices in summer tax. Many immigrant vendors lack the executive order. and hot dogs in winter; Maria Samba, those documents, according to Flor Critics of the law; meanwhile, said it Bermudez, director of a vendor group goes against federal ration laws in East Harlem, Espetanaa del Barrio. and sends the wrong message. Even mate problematic are the caps "It's a continuationof the city movplaced on licenses. CmTently; licenses ing in the wrong direction," the for food carts are limited to 3,000 and leader ofthecmmeilasRepublipmmigeneral licenses to 853. While a few nority, James Oddo, said. "This is the vendors should be able to find a way to last:pernut that allowed the city to work legally by renting space from a ask the immigration status.Instead of vendor with a food cart hewn, most m a removingit, I think we should be askwill be unable to work legally unless ing the status when we hand out all of the caps are eased. our permts." "It's a positive step forward, but the Mr. Oddo, who represents a Staten main problem is there's still a limit en Islgad district, added.that a larger licenses and permits," the director of concern is that the city will be prothe StreetVendor Project at the nonviding a new form of documentation profit Urban Justice Center, Sean . to some illegal immigrants, which he Basinski, said. Another bill still at the said is a mistake in a post-.September hearing stage at the council would in11 context. crease the number of vending licensThe city began limiting vending to es issued. By A"UffA GMSON ftffIRW~0f&6&M = that City counca