The New York Times looks at how people WILL find a way to live no matter what the ‘rules’ are against them…
First?
The migrants in New York City are in American LEGALLY….
They are NOT supposted to work ….
Makes sense, eh?
For many migrants, food delivery has proved to be the easiest way to make money and begin to support relatives, or pay down debts racked up during the journey to New York. Anyone with a bike and a smartphone is essentially qualified, and delivery apps, like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub, don’t require much verification.
But as migrants have flocked to delivery, the job has become increasingly fraught: The city has begun cracking down on unregistered mopeds — the very vehicles that the newest migrants rely on. In recent weeks, the Police Department, citing noise complaints and safety concerns, has targeted several migrant shelters, confiscating delivery bikes without license plates by the truckload. Already this year, the N.Y.P.D. has seized more than 7,000 mopeds.
At the same time, a new cottage industry of black-market moped brokers has emerged to serve — and sometimes prey upon — the newest migrants, who arrive with little money, no bank account and no tax ID or Social Security number. Several migrants, including one man who owes $15,000 to loan sharks in Venezuela, spoke openly about their reliance on a murky network of intermediaries to get motorized bikes, piggyback on app accounts and, if all goes well, get paid….
…
The newest migrants feel immense pressure to work and yet are not legally permitted to — and to do so can jeopardize their asylum cases and even trigger deportation.
Under federal law, migrants who are seeking asylum can request employment authorization about six months after filing asylum applications, but the process is complicated. Few migrants have access to lawyers, leaving them at risk of missing deadlines and becoming undocumented….
…
Timoteo told Mr. Zambrano that he was also once kidnapped. He was in a position to offer help. He let Mr. Zambrano pay for the $600 bike slowly over several weeks. He also gave his unused Uber Eats login for free, which Mr. Zambrano linked to his own Western Union account.
Still, it’s an uphill battle. “I don’t have any place to charge it,” Mr. Zambrano said. “I have to pedal.”
But with increased moped sweeps, any bike is an asset.
Last Friday, after making a delivery on 55th Street and 8th Avenue, Mr. Milano watched as the police carted off his rented moped. In an instant, he understood that he now owed more money and had lost his only means to work. Without any other options, he found a bike he could rent for a few hours and rode through the city to deliver the next night….
Note….
With Mayor Eric Adams complaining about paying for migrants?
Why is his admin working to make it harder for migrantas to pay for THEMSELVES?
And?
These migrants are actually helping the New York City economy….
But they ain’t paying any taxes ….
image…Credit…Juan Arredondo for The New York Times