NYC Migrant Crime, General Riots ‘Getting Out Hand,’ Could Drive Residents From The City

Former New York Governor David Paterson expressed concern on Sunday about rising crime linked to migrants, including an alleged subway mugging involving an 11-year-old Venezuelan boy. Paterson, speaking on WABC’s “The Cats Roundtable,” highlighted the increasing number of incidents involving migrants and the broader unrest in New York City, noting that these issues are "really getting out of hand."
Paterson recounted last week's incident where an 11-year-old allegedly mugged a woman on the 7 train. The boy, who is reportedly connected to a series of robberies in Central Park, is part of a growing trend that Paterson finds alarming.
"The first thing that people notice is that this is a migrant,” Paterson said, emphasizing the strain on the city due to the sudden influx of people. “It’s just not going to work. It’s too many people. Not every migrant is a criminal, but a sizable number of people are acting in this kind of anti-cultural fashion, and all it’s doing is alienating the [immigrant] citizens who live in the city.”
Since 2022, New York City has spent approximately $5.5 billion on shelter and care for the surge of migrants, a burden that Paterson argues the city was unprepared to handle.
Paterson also pointed to a recent uptick in crime in Central Park and a riotous protest in Harlem during a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris. He specifically criticized the protesters for vandalizing the Bird in Hand restaurant, describing the incident as part of a troubling "antisocial, totally riotous frame of mind" that is increasingly affecting daily life.
Despite acknowledging a general decrease in crime under Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Edward Caban, Paterson warned that the episodic crimes involving migrants, out-of-control protests, and incidents in typically safe areas like Central Park are causing widespread fear. He urged law enforcement to address these issues before they escalate.
“After a while, people start thinking about whether or not they want to live in a place where this happens,” Paterson said, adding that these concerns are becoming a common topic of conversation among New Yorkers.
In a separate interview, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their handling of the migrant crisis. Cruz contrasted their approach with that of former President Barack Obama, who he noted was more stringent in enforcing immigration laws. According to Cruz, Biden and Harris have allowed an unprecedented influx of illegal immigrants, with cities like New York paying the price.
“They want this invasion to continue and to get worse,” Cruz asserted, arguing that the current administration’s policies have led to the challenges cities across the nation now face.