Bronx residents continue to push back against a planned 2,200-bed, male-only migrant shelter in their borough, as local leaders like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., continue to support the influx of asylum seekers.
"To AOC, I would say, talk to your constituents," Christopher Reid, chairman of the New York Young Republican Club’s Bronx Caucus, said during an appearance on "Fox & Friends," Thursday.
"I’ve been through these neighborhoods… Nobody wants it there."
Earlier this month, protesters gathered outside the future New York City shelter site, holding signs that read "The Bronx is MAGA," and "The Bronx Says NO."
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The shelter, located in the South Bronx, is part of the city's broader plan to consolidate its migrant housing system by shutting down 46 smaller sites, reducing the total bed count by roughly 10,000.
While some city leaders support the move, others, including Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., have accused officials of treating the Bronx as a migrant "dumping ground." Residents have voiced concerns about crime, strained resources, and a lack of community input. City officials insist the shelter will be temporary and will include security measures.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, whose district includes the shelter site, has been a vocal supporter of New York City’s migrant influx. The "Squad" member's office recently organized a webinar informing undocumented residents of their rights when approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
One participant of the "Know Your Rights with ICE" event advised migrants to ask ICE officials, "Am I free to go? Am I being detained?" and to leave if the answer was no. Ocasio-Cortez did not attend the webinar, despite hosting it on her Facebook page.
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"I think it's a good testament to how little she actually cares about her constituents," Reid argued. "It’s one thing to give people advice on how to evade the law … but it’s another thing to do that and then not show up to the webinar that you’re supposedly all about."
Reid believes frustrations over the shelters and broader policies are shifting political support in the Bronx. President Donald Trump saw increased backing in New York City during the 2024 election with support in the Bronx and Queens growing by 22% compared to 2020, according to CBS News data.
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"I think his re-election sort of gave new life to the America-first philosophy," Reid said. "My goal and the goal of the New York Young Republican Bronx Caucus is to transfer that into the boroughs. So, Bronx first, Staten Island first, Queens first."
"We can’t help anybody else until we help ourselves first. I think that’s a major message that AOC and these far-left radicals need to hear."
