In the subway, people sometimes see the figures of undocumented immigrant children selling candies. Most of these children have to follow their parents to sell snacks because there is no one to take care of them. Now, the New York City Council has expanded a child care program for undocumented immigrants, allowing eligible new immigrants to apply for a project called “Promise NYC Program” to alleviate the pressure of taking care of children.
In the 2025 fiscal year budget, the New York City Council has planned a child care program called “Promise NYC” with a budget of $25 million to increase the number of children from undocumented immigrant families who can benefit from voucher programs, from the original 600 to 1,000.
The “Promise NYC” program was launched at the beginning of the year 2023, with an initial investment of $10 million planned within six months, and an additional $16 million to be invested within a year. Mayor Adams did not include the project in the initial budget for the new fiscal year, but the City Council later reintroduced it into the budget for the 2025 fiscal year that started on July 1.
The program is implemented through four immigrant-heavy community non-profit organizations in New York, including the Center for Family Life in Brooklyn, NMIC in the Bronx and Manhattan, La Colmena on Staten Island, and the Chinese American Planning Council in Queens.
Previously, these organizations had limited spots, causing some families to be placed on waiting lists. While there are income requirements to join the program, parents can sign a legally binding affidavit to prove their income level without the need to provide proof from their employers.
New York City mandates that adolescents aged 6 to 17 must attend full-time school, but in recent years, many new immigrants have faced various factors preventing their children from enrolling in school on time. The New York Immigration Coalition stated that these children are all eligible to apply for the voucher assistance provided by “Promise NYC.”
Moreover, in New York, most jobs prohibit child labor for those under 14 years old. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) specifies that selling goods in the transportation system without permission is not allowed. However, since these children selling candies and snacks do not have an employment relationship with employers, the State Department of Labor cannot treat undocumented immigrant children as child laborers temporarily.