New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded for help from the federal government to help the city overwhelmed by the impact of more than 110,000 asylum seekers. On Friday, a show of support arrived: At least 10 Democratic members of Congress, from as far away as Texas and Los Angeles, toured the Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown, where the city is lodging 850 migrant families.
The delegation, led by Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City, praised the city’s efforts, and members were optimistic about a way forward. The New York Times
However, News Nation reports that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and the rest of the group were confronted by angry anti-migrant protesters Friday during a tour of a new housing facility.
In the video, several women can be heard shouting “Close the border” and “Send them back” as Ocasio-Cortez was attempting to address reporters. Another demonstrator shouted through a bullhorn.
Things turned physical when a demonstrator shoved someone who appeared to be a part of the congresswoman’s security team. “You’re complicit in destroying our city,” he shouted at another member of the security team.
Only last week, Mr. Espaillat and Ms. Ocasio-Cortez criticized Mr. Adams for saying that the migrant issue “will destroy New York City” — a reference to the projected $12 billion cost over three years of housing the migrants.
“I don’t think they’re going to destroy the city,” Mr. Espaillat told The Hill, adding, “if that’s what he meant, then we disagree on that.” Ms. Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Mr. Adams’s comment — which immediately became a Republican talking point — “puts solutions even further away and only escalates tensions and obstacles.”
Still, Mr. Espaillat tried to sound a hopeful note: “The American dream will not be bullied into submission today.”