NYPD Still Issues Criminal Summons to Immigrant Vendors in 2026

What if you already received a criminal summons that the law says should never have been issued? That is the situation facing hundreds of immigrant street vendors in New York City right now — and the answer matters for their immigration cases.

New York City's NYPD issued at least 564 criminal summons for vending-related offenses in the first three months of 2026, according to city data. That is up from 504 during the same period in 2025 — even though a new city law, Local Law 122, took effect on March 9, 2026, and was specifically designed to eliminate criminal penalties for most vending violations. The law passed the City Council in September 2025 with a veto-proof majority. It changed offenses like blocking a crosswalk or failing to display a permit from criminal misdemeanors to civil violations for licensed vendors. Among the 564 summons issued in early 2026, 48 were for blocking a crosswalk and 38 were for failing to display a permit — both violations that should now be civil, not criminal, under the new law.

Why This Hits Immigrants Hardest

About 96% of New York City's street vendors are immigrants, according to Mohamed Attia, managing director of the Street Vendor Project. A criminal summons forces a vendor to appear in criminal court. If the case leads to a conviction, it can create a criminal record that damages an immigration case — including applications for a green card, a work permit (EAD), or naturalization. If a vendor misses their court date, a warrant can be issued for their arrest. Monir, a 34-year-old Egyptian immigrant who operates a halal cart in Midtown Manhattan, received two criminal summons on June 11, 2026, for operating near a fire hydrant — a violation that should have been civil under Local Law 122. "Why did they write me criminal tickets?" he told Documented in Arabic. "The criminal tickets should not be issued to vendors. We're not criminals."

The NYPD defended its actions in a statement to Documented, saying the law "does not prohibit the use of criminal court summonses as an enforcement tool in connection with unlicensed vending" and that it responds to 311 and community complaints. City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan, the lead sponsor of Local Law 122, called that response troubling and announced an investigation. "We passed historic legislation that ensures vendors no longer face jail time or the threat of deportation for simple vending violations," Krishnan said. The Mamdani administration said it is meeting directly with vendors and reviewing enforcement practices as the city rolls out its first expansion of vendor licenses in more than 50 years.

What to Do

• If you received a criminal summons after March 9, 2026, for a vending violation that is now civil under Local Law 122 — such as blocking a crosswalk or not displaying a permit — contact the Street Vendor Project or an immigration attorney before your court date.
• Do not miss your court date. Even if the summons was issued incorrectly, missing it can result in an arrest warrant, which creates a much bigger problem for your immigration case.
• Keep copies of all summons you receive. An attorney can use them to argue the summons was unlawfully issued and seek a dismissal.
• If you are an unlicensed vendor, be aware that the NYPD can still issue criminal summons for unlicensed vending under the current law — consult a lawyer about your specific situation.

A full breakdown of this topic — in our guide “Your Rights During an ICE Encounter”.