Anwar Shahadat, New York.
NEW YORK — New York City officials gathered with members of ethnic and community media during a roundtable discussion and press briefing focused on worker rights, immigrant protections, consumer safety, and economic justice initiatives affecting immigrant New Yorkers across the city.
The briefing brought together Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine, Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Faiza Ali, Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) Commissioner Midori Valdivia, and Small Business Services (SBS) Deputy Commissioner Kitty Chan.
During the session, city officials outlined several programs and enforcement initiatives designed to support immigrant workers, small business owners, drivers, and consumers, while also answering questions from ethnic media representatives serving immigrant communities throughout New York City.
Deputy Mayor Julie Su emphasized that immigrant workers remain central to the administration’s affordability and economic justice agenda. She pointed to Executive Order 13, signed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as a key policy tool aimed at strengthening sanctuary protections and expanding “Know Your Rights” outreach efforts for immigrant New Yorkers regardless of immigration status.
Officials from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs highlighted multilingual educational materials and legal fraud prevention programs intended to help immigrants better understand workplace protections and federal enforcement guidance. Commissioner Faiza Ali stated that the administration is working to ensure immigrant residents can safely report labor violations and access city services without fear.
A major portion of the discussion focused on consumer protection and financial concerns affecting immigrant communities. DCWP Commissioner Samuel Levine discussed the findings of a recent citywide enforcement sweep involving more than 270 Immigration Assistance Service Providers across the five boroughs. According to the agency, Brooklyn recorded the highest rate of violations during the inspections.
Levine also addressed concerns surrounding the proposed acquisition of Intermex by Western Union in a deal reportedly valued at $500 million. City officials argued that the merger could negatively impact immigrant families who rely heavily on remittance services by increasing transfer costs at a time when additional federal excise taxes on cash remittances are already under discussion.
Taxi and Limousine Commission Commissioner Midori Valdivia highlighted the importance of supporting immigrant drivers, noting that more than 90 percent of TLC drivers are immigrants. She introduced a new driver engagement initiative and survey aimed at collecting direct feedback from drivers to shape future agency policies and workplace protections.
Representatives from the Department of Small Business Services also promoted several city programs available to immigrant entrepreneurs and workers, including Workforce1, NYC Business Express Service Team (BEST), and the upcoming NYC Small Business Month Expo scheduled for May 28.
Throughout the briefing, city officials repeatedly stressed that immigrant communities remain essential to New York City’s economy and workforce, particularly in sectors such as transportation, healthcare, restaurants, construction, and small businesses.
“Immigrant New Yorkers are a critical part of the fabric of New York City,” Deputy Mayor Julie Su said during the event. “We want immigrant New Yorkers to know that they have the same labor and human rights as all workers.”
The roundtable concluded with officials encouraging immigrant New Yorkers to seek assistance, report violations, and make use of available city resources designed to protect workers and strengthen economic opportunities across immigrant communities.
