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includes money to provide support and resources for street food vendors in the city and immigration legal services to city residents. 

The funding, which was included as a budget amendment by Council member Jason Chavez, aims to create a pathway for food vendors, particularly those from immigrant and marginalized communities, to legally operate by improving access to food carts and permits. 

“We know that the current system we have right now isn’t working, and we need to create different permits to allow this to be more accessible and more friendly and also address those public health concerns too,” Chavez said. 

The measure will draw from $150,000 to cover business startup costs– ensuring vendors comply with city regulations while maintaining health and safety standards. 

Some council members expressed concerns with the proposal, including Council member LaTrisha Vetaw. 

“I have concerns with this because we haven’t voted on an ordinance yet, I really would be open to having these discussions if we had an ordinance and we knew exactly what we would be doing with such a program and how many people would be in it,” Vetaw said. “This is assuming that the ordinance has passed already, in my opinion, and it hasn’t. It hasn’t even been created.”

According to the proposal, the initiative will rely on unused pandemic relief funds. 

Earlier this year, Council members Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury 

 a legislative directive to address issues facing local food vendors. 

The 2025 budget also includes more money for immigration legal services. 

The budget increases funds available to the pool of immigration legal service providers by offering free immigration legal services to Minneapolis residents. 

One-time funding of $150,000 was allocated in 2023, and this proposal establishes an ongoing funding source.

Legal service providers receiving the funding could include the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Mid Minnesota Legal Aid and The Advocates for Human Rights.

Under the plan, funds for the agencies will be administered by the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department. 

Funding for a “welcome and labor center” is also part of the budget. The proposal aims to provide one-time funding of $50,000 for the creation of a welcome and labor center that will serve community members. The 2025 budget amendment packet states “there is a growing need for services in the immigrant community and this funding would help bring resources to community members.”

Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed the budget in part because of the amount of one-time spending included in budget amendments by council members. However, the council overrode the veto.

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Sarah Thamer

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The 2025 budget approved by the Minneapolis City Council last week designates resources   for immigration legal services and other initiatives designed to help immigrant residents. 

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Minneapolis 2025 budget includes funding for immigrant-centered initiatives

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