Roosevelt Avenue, located in the Corona neighborhood of the Queens borough, is brimming with Venezuelans engaged in prostitution in the open-air self-styled "Market of Sweethearts." WPIX 11 reported that sex workers have been soliciting in the streets while the sun is up, with several even aggressively asking even as children leave for lunch. Before moving to Queens, The Bronx was home to the Big Apple's largest concentration of sex workers for hire.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams said on Oct. 31 that he was aware of the open-air sex market in Queens. Adams told reporters that "illegal activity" is happening publicly there each day, adding that he had visited the area himself.
According to the mayor, his sources told him that several of the prostitutes are Venezuelan women who recently arrived at the Big Apple – though it is unknown if they were trafficked and coerced, or if they are in the trade of their own accord.
"This is what happens when you create an atmosphere that people can't provide for themselves and have to turn to illegal activities to do so," Adams remarked. "When I talk about the spiraling impact of how this is going to affect our city, this is what I'm talking about. We are going to create generational problems based on the failure of the national government, and that is one example."
Adams prosecuting the johns instead of advocating for border security
One employee of a business in Queens said the area was brimming with migrant sex workers – with the number having "tripled" in recent months. "It's mostly Venezuelans," said the female employee, adding that she could tell based on their accents.
Ramses Frias, a resident of Queens, lamented: "This doesn't feel like [NYC] anymore. It's like Bangkok, the red-light district. It's like a [sex] market in a third world country."
According to Adams, the city has identified two locations of concern – Roosevelt Avenue and another one in East New York, in Brooklyn. He added that his administration will focus on the johns – men who avail the services of prostitutes – and give assistance to sex workers.
The Democratic mayor also blasted local officials working "against the city" to legalize sex work. These officials view sex work as a dignified job.
"This is where idealism collides with realism," Adams remarked. "I've had elected officials tell me that the women are just trying work [and ask], 'Why are you trying to harm them?'"
"There are real issues around illegal sex work, not only from STDs to sex trafficking to young girls getting involved in it, to violence. So, people who don't understand how serious this is, they are impeding our progress."
Prostitution is viewed as a Class B offense in the Empire State, and is punishable by up to three months in jail and/or up to a $500 fine. Meanwhile, patronizing a prostitute is a Class A crime punishable by up to one year in prison and/or up to a $1,000 fine.
Most of the Venezuelans, including the women selling their bodies along Roosevelt Avenue, come from extreme poverty. They have crossed the Darien Gap in Panama in their bid to escape the troubled socialist country under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. But upon arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has commissioned buses to bring these Venezuelan migrants and others into "sanctuary cities" like NYC.
Follow Migrants.news for more news about illegal immigrants coming to America.
Watch Mayor Eric Adams suggest that illegal immigrants in NYC be housed in private residences below.
This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.
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