As NYPD cracks down on illegal brothels in Queens, advocates say community needs resources not raids
NEW YORK — There's backlash a week after the New York City Police Department launched an operation to crack down on illegal brothels, sex trafficking and unlicensed vendors along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens.
Immigrant advocacy groups say they want resources, not police raids.
"Policing and raids are not solutions to safety"
Tuesday afternoon, the immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York joined a coalition calling on support for sex workers, including resources like housing vouchers and health care, and not more police.
"Policing and raids are not solutions to safety," said Fran with Red Canary Song, a grassroots collective of migrant massage workers and sex workers.
"Where else do you know that you can live and you have to make over $100,000 to be considered working class?" said Victoria Von Blaque, director of contracts for Trans Equity Consulting and Company.
Immigration advocates claim that just the presence of more law enforcement is making people in the neighborhood who are undocumented feel unsafe.
"I was undocumented. I am a transgender person. I am terrified to see the increasing police in the streets," one person said.
Queens community members support intervention
Monday night, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry told CBS News New York's Derick Waller that sex trafficking is a problem.
"The question that I ask myself as a leader in this agency is, are they being held against their will?" Daughtry said.
At the Tuesday, rally, CBS News New York's Lisa Rozner met community members who support the NYPD intervention.
"Roosevelt Avenue became an urban crime zone with massive prostitution, drug sales, gangs and cartels. We need our cops here," former New York state senator Hiram Monseratte said.
"The raids like the one last night, is that effective?" Rozner asked.
"The raids are effective if the police do the follow up, they have to padlock these locations, and we also need to give services," Monseratte said.
Monday, Daughtry said he empathizes with people trying to make a living, but said, "This is not the way to do it."
He continued, "There are other, there are other avenues they can take to make a decent income in New York City."
The mayor set a 90-day target to clean up the area.