The NYPD recently conducted a raid on an illegal open-air flea market operating in Squad member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district. Despite the raid, some sellers, many of whom are reportedly migrants, have continued peddling counterfeit goods and other items on the streets in neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Corona, and Elmhurst. The area has been described as looking like a Third World country due to its shabby appearance and unsanitary conditions, with rampant prostitution earning the main strip along Roosevelt Avenue the nickname “the avenue of the sweethearts.”
Videos obtained by Fox News Digital have shown endless streams of vendors selling various items along the streets, including clothes, sneakers, pots and pans, toys, and photo frames. Prostitutes are also known to frequent the area. Police were seen raiding the hotspot along Roosevelt Avenue near 91st Street on Monday and Tuesday, confiscating goods and loading them into NYPD trucks. Despite the raid, illegal vendors were back on the streets pushing their goods shortly after, indicating that the raid was short-lived and that conditions may worsen as the weather heats up.
Assembly candidate Ramses Frías, a former Democrat turned Republican, has criticized the lack of consistent police presence and enforcement in the area, warning that the situation will continue to deteriorate without proper intervention. He expressed frustration with the neglect from local representatives like Ocasio-Cortez and others, stating that residents are fed up with the crime, prostitution, and lawlessness in the community. The raid took place on the edge of Ocasio-Cortez’s 14th Congressional District, which is also represented by other progressive politicians advocating for migrant rights.
Progressive politicians like Congresswoman Grace Meng, Assembly Members Cruz, González-Rojas, Steve Raga, Council Member Shekar Krishnan, and State Senators Michael Gianaris and Jesscia Ramos represent the district where illegal vendors are causing issues. Council Member Moya, who represents the district and has been vocal against illegal vendors and prostitution, collaborated with the NYPD on the recent raid. Following the police sweep, Mayor Eric Adams blamed the issues on illegal immigrants not being able to work, stating that migrants have a right to work in the US. He emphasized that not allowing migrants to work leads to illicit activities like illegal shops and sex trafficking.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has highlighted the challenges faced by the city due to thousands of migrants being unable to work. He has emphasized the need for migrants to have the opportunity to work, describing restrictions as “anti-American.” Despite concerns raised by politicians like Council Member Moya about the impact of illegal vendors on the community, the raids conducted by law enforcement have not resulted in lasting solutions. The ongoing presence of illegal vendors and illicit activities in neighborhoods like Jackson Heights raises concerns about the need for more comprehensive interventions and enforcement measures to address the root causes of these issues.
