‘Close the Border’ Rep. AOC Shouted Down by Protesters at Press Conference in New York City
U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other lawmakers were shouted down by protesters while holding a press conference outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in midtown Manhattan about the growing migrant crisis in New York City.
In video footage obtained by Freedom News TV, protestors can be heard shouting “Send them back!” and “Close the border!” while Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and other lawmakers attempted to call on the state and federal government to provide more aid for illegal immigrants who landed in the Big Apple.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, who represents New York’s 14th congressional district was joined at the press conference by U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat who represents the state’s 13th congressional district. Rep. Espaillat said that the migrants are looking for a “better life” and said, “Every crisis presents a great opportunity. There’s hope and opportunity in this building,” referencing the Roosevelt Hotel, which has been used to house hundreds of migrants.
Rep. Espaillat told outraged New Yorkers that the migrants “want to work,” and they are “fleeing violence,” and “environmental disasters.” Shouting continued to drown out his statements, but he continued, noting, “We see so many stories, heartbreaking stories manifest itself here. What I think, these are folks that will take New York City to a better place.”
Chants of “Close the border!” grew louder as the press conference continued.
“What we seek to do is to make sure that all the resources are necessary and that we are joining with the city and state,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez said. A man yelling through a megaphone interrupted her public comments, shouting, “Illegal immigration is not right! Respect the constitution, close the border!”
Despite the public outcries, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez continued to call on the government to fast-track work authorization for immigrants “so that folks in here can get to work and start supporting themselves as soon as possible. “They are prevented from getting jobs. They are prevented from employment and that is part of the strain on our public systems.” She added, “The faster that folks can access the work that they’re asking for, legally, the better we can solve this problem.”
She also advocated for extending Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, which, she noted, is where most new migrants in New York City originated from.
New York City has been in crisis mode, taking in roughly 10,000 migrants every month since border states that have been overrun and depleted of resources began bussing illegal border crossers to sanctuary cities for shelter.
Migrants can be seen sleeping on the streets around the city as make-shift shelters, hotels, and even personal homes run out of space to house the number of people flocking to Manhattan. When illegal immigrants who were given a free stay at the upscale Watson Hotel were evicted for relocation to a temporary shelter in Brooklyn, many refused to leave.
Last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has welcomed the thousands of migrants arriving in his state, told residents that the crisis would “destroy New York City,” if state and federal agencies don’t provide aid. “I don’t see an ending to this.” Mayor Adams said.
Days later, just before the city commemorated the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Mayor and the city’s budget director informed the police, fire, corrections, and sanitation departments to submit plans to reduce overtime pay for workers. The funds, they were told, are needed to deal with the thousands of migrants entering the city monthly.
Several Manhattan residents have formed associations to counter the swift cultural change that swept the city once migrants arrived. These individuals submitted complaints to their city officials regarding loud music and noise that lasted late into the night, prostitution, catcalling minors, street racing, and more.
