Chaos in New York: immigration causes business sales to plunge

The immigration crisis is creating chaos in New York. The owners of some businesses have reported that the situation is affecting their sales, and citizens claim that crime is on the rise. Immigrant children playing in the streets on electric scooters and people arriving on motorcycles at shelters are crowding the sidewalks. Neighbors also denounce the constant fights between illegal migrants as well as the small tents occupying spaces in the streets.

George Boahene, manager of SAYKI Menswear, said he fears losing his job due to the decline in sales because customers are afraid to visit the store. On a normal Friday, it would have 5,000 customers, but in recent weeks it has received only 500. "And I’m scared because if my boss sees the situation, that business is not going up, he’s going to close the store. And then I don’t have a job," Boahene told The New York Post.

An attempt at an open-air market was also created on the street. Men and women staying at the Roosevelt Hotel shelter, which is one of the entry points to the city, were selling: t-shirts, jeans, shoes, coffee and even snacks for other migrants and passersby.

Dozens of motorcycles and bicycles now also line the area around the Roosevelt and the nearby ROW Hotel shelter, with asylum seekers selling food. The owner of a jewelry store explained that in the mornings he has to clean the sidewalk because illegal migrants leave trash behind. In addition, the immigrants sit at the entrance of the store, and he has to ask them to leave so that his customers can enter the store. "It’s very bad. Terrible. It's bad image for business. People don’t want to come around here," said the businessman.

Increasing crime

Citizens have reported that crime is on the rise. On Sunday, two men were hospitalized after being attacked by asylum seekers outside a shelter. According to the local police report, the incident occurred when the victims tried to intervene to stop the undocumented immigrants from throwing objects at people on the sidewalk in Harlem, in the area near Central Park North and Madison Avenue.

Authorities detailed that police officers responded to reports of an assault and learned that a group was attacking passersby. The police report indicates that a 35-year-old man came out of his apartment and confronted the immigrants but was beaten and kicked. In addition, he was pushed through a glass door. After the beating, he was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where his condition was stabilized.

Another 41-year-old man tried to intervene in that attack and was also beaten. He suffered minor injuries. He was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan and is also in stable condition. Police explained that they arrested one person for the attack and are searching for two other suspects.

Everything is happening at a time when the migration crisis in the city is deepening. In fact, New York Mayor Eric Adams asked a court to modify The Big Apple's "Right to Welcome" because the situation is draining municipal resources.

"Since we cannot handle an unlimited number of people and are already overwhelmed, it is best for everyone, including those who want to come to the United States, to be frank: New York City alone cannot handle everyone crossing our border. Being dishonest about it will only cause our system to collapse, and we need our government partners to know the truth and do their part," said the Democratic mayor.