Poor migrants resort to survival work in expensive cities

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Some of President Joe Biden’s poor migrants are engaging in sex work to pay off their debts and manage living expenses in America’s costly economy.

In New York City, a Venezuelan migrant named Camilla, who lives in a Bronx shelter with her family, has resorted to sex work while awaiting work authorization. “I just run away to wherever and hide on another street,” Camilla told The Indypendent. “I wait for the police to leave, then come out again.”

We went undercover searching for illegal immigrant gangs and uncovered one of the largest open-air prostitution rings in the United States. @eyeoftheSTORMsd pic.twitter.com/8m841svESV

— RyanMatta 🇺🇸 🦅 (@RyanMattaMedia) November 7, 2024

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This situation unfolds on Roosevelt Avenue, where authorities recently attempted to curb street prostitution. The development contrasts sharply with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s vision of an immigration system that upholds human dignity.

“We are building an immigration system that is designed to ensure due process, respect human dignity, and promote equity,” Mayorkas tweeted in August 2021.

The current migration policies have inadvertently led to family separations and created conditions that fuel prostitution demand. Mayor Eric Adams initiated Operation Restore Roosevelt to address these issues in the district represented by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Local organizations have noted the connection between migration and sex work. “These operations disproportionately affect migrants who turn to sex work for survival and further compound the challenges they face when seeking safety and survival in the U.S.,” said Abigail Anzalone, a case manager at the Sex Workers Project.

The AP recently highlighted one migrant’s experience. Sofia Roca refused a $1,000 proposition for sex work in Kentucky, eventually finding employment as a hotel maid. “It’s a huge difference from my life in Denver,” she told the AP. “There’s less chaos, and no one has disrespected me.”

Biden's migrants turn to prostitution amid poverty after his pro-migration border chief – Mayorkas – promised them equity and dignity.
Progressives should carry some of the blame. https://t.co/CwOU4eGufO

— Neil Munro (@NeilMunroDC) November 24, 2024

Congressional investigations have revealed concerning patterns. A recent House Judiciary Committee report identified suspicious visa application patterns potentially indicating sex trafficking. Additionally, organizations like Bob’s House of Hope report severe abuse cases among trafficking victims.

The situation is particularly dire for migrants indebted to smugglers, who risk losing their families’ assets if unable to repay their debts.