In the heart of New York City, a district represented by "Squad" member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a scene reminiscent of Bangkok's infamous red-light district unfolds.
Migrant sex workers, scantily clad, openly solicit passersby on the streets, while their pimps instill fear in local business owners. One such owner, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed to Fox News Digital that he has been threatened for speaking out and is on the brink of shutting down his store.
The area in question is Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, a neighborhood heavily populated by migrants and home to the communities of Corona, Jackson Heights, and Elmhurst. According to local residents, the area has become a hub for the world's oldest profession. They claim that the majority of elected officials and law enforcement are turning a blind eye to the situation, which they liken to the notorious brothel-laden streets of Bangkok.
Illegal vendors also swarm the sidewalks, selling goods and cooking food in the open, without any health certifications or inspections. This has led to unsanitary conditions, with birds swooping down for leftovers and leaving their droppings behind. The area, known to locals as the "Avenue of the Sweethearts," is not some remote part of the city but rather the heart of Queens. It is a vital connection point between Manhattan and local schools, with many families and students having to navigate through throngs of solicitors daily.
Fox News Digital documented a man pushing his young son in a stroller past a group of five sex workers. Residents report that this has become a daily reality for students on their way to school or local taekwondo centers. The alleged sex workers, primarily Asian and Hispanic women, are a constant presence on the sidewalks.
On September 18, the NYPD raided a brothel just off Roosevelt Avenue, resulting in three arrests. The following evening, while Fox News Digital was conducting an interview in front of the raided premises, an alleged sex worker and her reported client casually exited the same building.
Illegal vendors in the area sell everything from used clothes to pots and pans, often operating just feet from legitimate brick-and-mortar stores. These store owners express frustration at being undercut in prices while also having to pay taxes, unlike the illegal vendors. Shoplifting and pick-pocketing are also rampant, contributing to a growing sense of lawlessness.
Ramses Fras, a local resident turned activist, is incensed by the deterioration of his neighborhood. "This area has been run rampant with prostitution," he told Fox News Digital outside the raided brothel. "It's just been out of control and the lawlessness continues to happen."
Fras lamented the transformation of his home neighborhood, saying, "This doesnt feel like my home. I've been here my whole life, and this feels like I'm a tourist in a Third World country. This is not how this is supposed to look, this is not how it's supposed to feel."
Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels and a Republican candidate for mayor, attributes the surge in prostitution to the displacement of sex workers from the nearby area of Flushing. "The Chinese community pushed it out [of Flushing] and Asian cops were getting busted because they were on the take, so they just decided, the madams, bring the girls over here and its open prostitution, 24/7. [It's] lawless. Anarchy. You get to do what you want when you want," Sliwa told Fox News Digital.
Sliwa criticized the police and New York City Mayor Eric Adams for not doing enough to combat the issue. He dismissed a well-publicized raid in January, which resulted in the closure of six establishments allegedly engaged in prostitution, as a "show raid," noting that there were no arrests.
Fras also criticized Ocasio-Cortez, claiming that the socialist lawmaker has neglected the neighborhood since she campaigned there in August 2023. "She does not visit this area; this is actually an area where she campaigned the hardest and a lot of people went out [to vote] for her, and she doesn't come over here. She has totally neglected us," Fras said.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, a Democrat who represents the area and is running for mayor, has labeled prostitution on the strip as "survival work." She co-sponsored a series of bills in 2019 that would have decriminalized sex work and expunged the records of those arrested or charged with prostitution or related offenses.
Councilman Francisco Moya, who has rallied alongside "clean streets" advocates like Fras, said that his fellow Democrats are impeding efforts to shut down the brothels and illegal vendors. "Ive lived my entire life in this district, and Ive never seen it this bad," Moya said of the prostitution. "After COVID, the situation has worsened significantly. The influx of migrants plays a part in this issue, as many have no other means of survival."
Moya criticized other elected officials for calling for an end to all enforcement. "Some elected officials dont see this as a problem, suggesting that work is work and we should let it be. I believe that if a state representative wants to legalize prostitution, it should be done with strict rules and regulations, in designated areas like the city of Amsterdam not in our community, especially near schools where children pass by and witness these activities daily," he insisted.
Despite the challenges, Moya vowed to continue his efforts to bring about significant change. "Im doing everything in my power to mitigate this issue, as you can see many have been investigated and shutdown but what I have been doing is being undermined by these leaders who dont recognize the urgent need for change. Yet, I assure you, I will not stop until significant change is made."
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