NYC Passes $116B Budget With Migrant, Child Care Aid

New York City has unanimously approved a record $115.9 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, featuring significant increases in funding for early childhood education, expanded library services, and legal services for migrants. The budget includes $74.7 million specifically allocated for immigration programs and introduces a $10 million pilot for universal child care for low-income families with children aged two and under. Negotiated between Mayor Eric Adams and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, the process reflected rare unity amid both leaders’ impending departures and election campaigns. Lawmakers described the plan as a 'Trump-proof' response to anticipated federal funding cuts and stricter immigration enforcement under former President Trump's policies. The budget emphasizes affordability, services for working-class and immigrant New Yorkers, and expanded public programs as models for future planning. The approval comes just ahead of the July 1 start of the new fiscal year as the city prepares for potential federal policy changes.