Although leftist Democrats herald U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) as a paragon of progressivism, frequent encounters with constituents even in her deep-blue district reveal that her radical ideology is far from universally popular.
Most recently, Ocasio-Cortez held a town hall event in New York City’s Corona neighborhood when several attendees made their thoughts known about her stance on illegal immigration.
“American citizens before migrants,” shouted a man waving an American flag and wearing a shirt bearing the image of a Cuban flag.
After asking the lawmaker to clarify her stance “on the migrant issue,” the individual asserted: “You’re a piece of s—.”
Another Ocasio-Cortez critic in the crowd arrived with a sign proclaiming: “America First. Vetted immigrants only.”
Other signs of opposition included an individual whose sign took aim at the far-left legislator’s three-letter nickname.
“AOC: An Obvious Criminal,” the banner read.
New York City has been inundated with immigrants over the past year as the city’s Democratic leaders continue to herald its status as a “sanctuary” for undocumented migrants. Ocasio-Cortez is among those who believe that there should be no 150-day waiting period before arriving migrants can obtain a job.
New Yorkers are ready to employ and asylum seekers are ready to work.
The idea that denying work authorization is an effective deterrent and therefore we shouldn’t let people work is wrong. It keeps people crammed in the system & hurts migrants & citizens alike.
Let them work. https://t.co/ItbuZFOpj8
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 13, 2023
Earlier this month, Ocasio-Cortez and a dozen other prominent New York Democrats sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling for an end to the waiting period.
“Asylum seekers are forced to rely on underfunded community groups to provide them with everything from housing to food to health services,” they wrote. “This is particularly troubling given the labor shortages we are experiencing across the country.”
The recent town hall event was not only disrupted by protesters upset over her immigration policy, though. A group of demonstrators chanted “AOC has got to go” in response to her push for increasing financial and military support for Ukraine.
As one of her constituents asserted: “We are on the verge of nuclear war with Russia. Are you going to stop this war?”
Another protester urged her to change her position, arguing that “there’s a lot of communities that need help and need that money.”
Ocasio-Cortez taunted her detractors by dancing to their protest.
