NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: Immigration Bill Reignites Debate in Albany, MTA Seeks State and Federal Funds for $65 Billion Transit Plan, and Rising Egg Prices Impact NYC Delis

Episode Date: February 5, 2025

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: President Trump’s push for deportations has sparked renewed debate in Albany, where a proposed bill aims to restrict state and local cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Meanwhile, the MTA is pushing its $65 billion construction plan, relying on state and federal funding to upgrade mass transit. Plus, a bird flu outbreak has caused egg prices to spike, leaving NYC bodegas and delis struggling to profit from the iconic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Wednesday, February 5th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. President Trump's deportation push is reigniting a longstanding debate in New York's state capital. WNYC's John Campbell reports on a bill to restrict cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The New York for All Act would prevent. state and local law enforcement from helping immigration and customs enforcement in most cases,

at least without a warrant signed by a judge. Marad Awowda is president of the New York Immigration Coalition. His group is backing the bill. We need our state resources to help and uplift New Yorkers, not use our state resources to harm New Yorkers. Some sheriffs in more conservative areas of the state oppose the measure. They say cooperating with federal law enforcement makes sense. everyone's safer. The MTA is continuing to pitch its construction program that aims to invest $65 billion in the

mass transit upgrades over the next five years. John McCarthy is the agency's chief of policy and external relations. He says the MTA is banking on state and federal tax dollars to cover more than half of the plans cost. These investments that will come from that funding, that federal funding, are vital, again, vital to supporting a transit network. that this is an important stat that carries 43% of all U.S. mass transit riders. The top-ranking members of the New York State Legislature rejected the MTA's plan in December.

They say they want to determine how the proposed will be funded through the state budget, which is due at the end of March. MTA leaders are heading back to Albany tomorrow to argue their case directly to lawmakers. A bird flu outbreak is causing egg prices to soar. That means bodegas and delis in New York City are losing money. on the city's signature morning sandwich, the bacon, egg, and cheese on a row. If I keep my prices down for my loyal customers, that's why we're here 57 years. That's Anthony Bonavita. He owns Benny's Deli and catering in Ridgewood Queens. He says he's kept the price at $5.50 for more than a year.

But he says if egg prices keep going up, he might have to raise the price. Soon or later, I have to, because I can't keep consuming the high prices. Bonavita said a case of 30 dozen eggs cost him $215 last week, up from around 160 a case just a month ago. 28 with clouds now, partly sunny and 35, feeling as cold as 20 degrees today. Snow overnight, mainly around 4 o'clock in the morning. It will start all the way with the winter advisory till 4 to 11. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC.

Be sure to catch us every weekday, 3.5. times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.