Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) faced the wrath of furious New Yorkers over the escalating migrant crisis. The incident occurred as she attempted to address the press outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan on September 15, 2023.
The city has been grappling with an influx of over 110,000 asylum seekers since the spring of 2022, costing the city approximately $10 million daily. The situation reached a boiling point, with protesters clashing on the streets of the Five Boroughs and migrants left homeless due to limited space.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo warned that the migrant issue could politically damage the Democrats. He emphasized immigration law is a federal responsibility, not a state or city one.
Cuomo criticized the Biden administration for not shouldering the financial burden of the migrants and instead passing it onto the taxpayers of various cities.
AOC HECKLED by furious New Yorkers over city's migrant crisis: Protesters shout 'close the border' and force Democrats to end press conference early outside Roosevelt Hotel pic.twitter.com/Y9k1ddFfPc
— A Man Of Memes (@RickyDoggin) September 15, 2023
Cuomo also questioned why Texas Governor Abbott was deciding where hundreds of thousands of migrants should be relocated across the nation. He warned Republicans like Trump would exploit the situation for political gain, predicting Trump’s response would be, “I told you so.”
Cuomo further claimed if he were still governor, he would march down to Washington D.C. to demand federal assistance and urge Biden to take control of the situation.
However, the pleas and warnings seem to have fallen on deaf ears. As AOC tried to address the press outside the Roosevelt Hotel, where migrants are housed, protesters shouted, “Close the border! Respect the constitution, AOC! I am your constituent!”
This incident underscores the growing frustration among New Yorkers over the handling of the migrant crisis. It also highlights the widening gap between the liberal policies of the ‘Squad’ and the practical realities faced by the citizens of New York City.
AOC Heckled in New York: "Send Them Back" pic.twitter.com/UA2qChyeQn
— Liam Nelson 🇺🇸 (@LiamMaxNelson) September 15, 2023
The migrant crisis is not just a humanitarian issue; it’s also a financial burden on the city, costing an estimated $12 billion over three years.
The question remains: how long can New York City sustain this financial strain? More importantly, when will the federal government step in to fulfill its responsibility?
This article appeared in TheDailyBeat and has been published here with permission.
