Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Jerry Nadler, and other Democrats were heckled by angry demonstrators chanting "close the border" on Friday during a Midtown press conference on New York City's escalating migrant crisis.
As they attempted to speak outside the Roosevelt Hotel mega-shelter on Friday morning, the New York politicians were drowned out by furious screams, as the New York Post reported.
“Send them back,” Jonathan Rinaldi, a Queens City Council candidate, shouted as the chaotic scenes unfolded outside the city’s main migrant intake site.
“Close the border, close the border. Respect the Constitution, AOC. I am your constituent,” a male protestor cried out.
Security Forced to Intervene
At one point, a security officer dragged a wailing Rinaldi, 44, behind a barricade.
The protestors, carrying signs that read "Americans first: Vetted and legal migrants only," descended upon the hotel on East 45th Street as the legislators addressed the city's asylum-seeking crisis.
When pandemonium erupted, AOC and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus had just completed a tour of the emergency shelter.
“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,” Ocasio-Cortez said before a mega-phone-wielding man started shouting over the top of her, according to Fox News.
“Illegal immigration is not right! Respect the Constitution, close the border,” the demonstrator screamed.
AOC's Response
Ocasio-Cortez attempted to proceed, enumerating solutions to the deteriorating humanitarian crisis.
“I think that there are three points of consensus here that are very important in getting a solution to that issue," she said.
"The first is that there is consensus here across geographies and state on increased federal resources to cities and municipalities dealing with this issue,” she went on.
“The second is to allow for work authorizations 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. The faster that folks can access the work that they’re asking for, legally, the better we can solve," said the congresswoman.
Mayor Eric Adams has repeatedly urged President Joe Biden and the federal government agencies to expedite the issuance of permits, claiming that the influx of migrants into the city will "destroy" New York City.
