Despite a significant increase in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, the bustling crime-infested Roosevelt Avenue remains a hub for various illicit activities on Monday.
Street workers and vendors, some of whom are immigrants, expressed their fears of ICE intervention, yet their need for income keeps them engaged in high-risk trades.
One Venezuelan streetwalker, known as Martina, articulated her anxiety about being apprehended by ICE.
‘I don’t want to be here. I’m scared. I watch every minute to see if ICE shows up and I’m ready to run,’ she said, highlighting the daily threat she faces.
Martina came to the U.S. two years ago and fears for her children’s future in the event of her capture.
‘If ICE takes me, I don’t know what happens to them,’ she lamented.
Such sentiments of fear are common among those trying to survive in the area, which has long been plagued by crime and illegal immigrant activities.
Earlier this year, residents raised concerns by penning a letter to President Trump’s border czar Tom Homan, urging federal help to address the pervasive street crime they attributed to a significant homeless illegal immigrant population.
Historically, Roosevelt Avenue has also been a flashpoint for sex trafficking, particularly with gangs like Tren de Aragua targeting vulnerable women, including those in city migrant shelters.
In a response to the lawlessness, Governor Kathy Hochul deployed hundreds of state troopers to the area last fall in efforts to restore order.
While the notorious ‘Market of Sweethearts’ appeared quieter this Monday, a few vendors, despite the risks involved, continued their trade.
One street vendor, who chose to remain anonymous, said, ‘I know I take a risk but I don’t have any choice.’
Having health issues that prevent him from engaging in physical labor leaves him with little option but to continue selling imitation goods.
He acknowledged the increased fear among vendors, saying, ‘There aren’t so many people selling things on the Roosevelt because they are scared.’
With President Donald Trump recently announcing his plans for a robust crackdown on cities perceived as havens for illegal immigration, concerns on the street have only escalated.
On Sunday, Trump took to Truth Social to declare an ambitious overhaul targeting major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.
He pledged to deploy ICE agents to initiate ‘the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.’
‘In order to achieve this, we must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside,’ Trump stated.
He criticized the Democratic leadership, alleging that ‘These Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it!’
While the execution of Trump’s new initiatives remains unclear, ICE has already started making more arrests, including those attending federal immigration court hearings in Lower Manhattan.
In response to Trump’s pledged crackdown, New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed the intent to communicate with federal authorities.
Adams reaffirmed that the NYPD would work with ICE solely on criminal matters, specifically stating, ‘We are not gonna collaborate with civil enforcement and we’re going to encourage people to not live in fear and go on with their lives.’
He emphasized the importance of local agencies maintaining their focus on the community’s safety rather than engaging in civil immigration enforcement.
The ongoing situation on Roosevelt Avenue serves as a stark reminder of the complexities surrounding immigration policies and their immediate impacts on vulnerable populations.
image source from：https://nypost.com/2025/06/16/us-news/business-as-usual-at-nycs-seedy-roosevelt-avenue-despite-illicit-workers-saying-theyre-fearful-of-trumps-promised-ice-crackdown-im-scared-every-day/
