It’s the Third World meets Bangkok.

In “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district in New York City, those who are described as scantily dressed migrant prostitutes line blocks of a long commercial strip during all hours of the day and night, brazenly soliciting sex to passersby while their pimps strike fear into local business owners, one of whom told Fox News Digital he’s been threatened for speaking out and is on the verge of closing his store.

The trash-filled streets of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, which encompasses the migrant-heavy communities of Corona, Jackson Heights and Elmhurst, has become a veritable hotbed for one of the world’s oldest professions, and residents say that most elected officials and police are turning a blind eye to the neighborhood nightmare, which looks more like the famed brothel-filled red-light district streets of Bangkok than one of America’s biggest cities.

Illegal vendors also overrun the sidewalks, plying their hustle in what residents have likened to “Third World” conditions, cooking hot food out in the open devoid of any health certifications or inspections as hungry birds swoop down in search of leftovers and leaving their droppings along the way. 

AOC DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD LABELED ‘THIRD WORLD’ AS MIGRANTS CLOG STREETS AND PROSTITUTES OVERRUN EVERY BLOCK

Known to locals as the “Avenue of the Sweethearts,” this epicenter of vice is not some desolate area on the outskirts of a city but rather the heart of the borough of Queens underneath the area’s main subway track that serves as a vital cog connecting Manhattan and its local schools to families, many of whom stream down the subway steps and are then inescapably met by armies of prowling solicitors. 

Fox News Digital even recorded a man pushing his young son in a stroller past a group of five sex workers.

Residents say that students pass prostitutes every day on their way to school or on their way to local taekwondo centers situated along the busy strip and that the situation has become the norm for their youthful eyes with the alleged sex workers, mostly composed of Asian and Hispanic women, filling the sidewalks. 

On Sept. 18, the NYPD raided a brothel just off Roosevelt Avenue and arrested three people. The following evening, Fox News Digital was conducting an interview in front of the raided premises when an alleged sex worker and her reported john casually walked out of the same building. 

On one block along Roosevelt Avenue, Fox News Digital cameras recorded a line of no less than 19 alleged sex workers on the sidewalk. Around the corner, there were at least seven more, and a woman on the next block was witnessed soliciting sex for $60.

Nearby, vendors sell everything from used clothes to pots and pans or tools. More recently, female vendors have begun cutting hair and painting nails under canopies on the cluttered sidewalks, with all of these illegal vendors operating feet from legitimate brick-and-mortar stores whose owners rage they are being undercut in prices while also having to pay taxes, unlike the illegal vendors.

Shoplifting and pick-pocketing is also widespread, business owners say, and there’s a sense here that lawlessness is breeding more lawlessness.

VIDEO: Curtis Sliwa, local activist, blast rampant prostitution on NYC streets, AOC’s district

NYPD SWEEPS VENDORS OVERRUNNING AOC’S DISTRICT — BUT SELLERS SWARM THE STREETS AGAIN, SELLING GOODS

On Sept. 19, the day after the raid, Fox News Digital witnessed a man being arrested for allegedly groping a 17-year-old girl as she walked down the subway steps. 

In police handcuffs, he denied the accusations to onlookers. The girl, who was being comforted by adults, looked visibly shaken.

Ramses Frías, a local resident turned activist, is furious with the deterioration of his neighborhood and says “it feels like Bangkok with women outside locations and pulling men off the street.”

“This area has been run rampant with prostitution,” he told Fox News Digital outside the raided brothel. “It’s just been out of control and the lawlessness continues to happen.” 

An alleged sex worker in AOC’s district texting. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

“This doesn’t feel like my home. I’ve been here my whole life, and this feels like I’m a tourist in a Third World country. This is not how this is supposed to look, this is not how it’s supposed to feel,” he insisted. “This is a neighborhood and a community full of hardworking individuals, immigrants and second-generation Americans that worked really hard to be here and are facing all this evil and all these bad things. … And it’s just causing more issues daily and our quality of life just continues to drop.”

Seconds later, an alleged sex worker and her client emerged from the brothel.

A neighboring business owner then ushered Fox News Digital into his store, warning that “pimps” were watching via CCTV. The store owner did not want to be named but said he had reported the cathouse to police and had been threatened by those involved with the brothel. 

“I’m so scared, this is my business,” he said, adding that his business is suffering because customers are avoiding the area and will likely have to close because of it. 

Several blocks in “Squad” member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district in Queens are lined with scantily clad migrant women who reportedly offer illegal services. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

Curtis Sliwa, the founder of the Guardian Angels and a Republican candidate for mayor, says prostitution has exploded in the neighborhood after the pimps and sex workers were driven out of the nearby area of Flushing, well known for its Asian population. 

“It was never like this. It was a family area with a lot of retail,” Sliwa told Fox News Digital of Roosevelt Avenue. “The Chinese community pushed it out [of Flushing] and Asian cops were getting busted because they were on the take, so they just decided, the madams, bring the girls over here … and its open prostitution, 24/7. [It’s] lawless. Anarchy. You get to do what you want when you want.”

Two NYPD officers were busted in 2006 on bribery charges relating to the protection of a brothel in Flushing, and there are similar cases stretching back further. 

Sliwa says the police and New York City Mayor Eric Adams are not doing enough to clamp down on the racket. In January, the NYPD raided six establishments allegedly engaged in prostitution, which were issued closing orders. The raid was well publicized, with Adams and local Democrat City Council member Francisco Moya present. However, it appears to have done little to curb the problem. 

A group of alleged sex workers on a corner on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, New York City. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

Sliwa slammed it as a “show raid” and said there were no arrests. 

“They didn’t arrest the johns, prostitutes, madams; they never went after the landlords, and they were back in business the next day,” said Sliwa, who joined Fox News Digital and Frías on a walking tour of the area. 

The Queens District Attorney’s Office confirmed that no arrests were made, saying it was strictly carried out to serve court closure orders of nuisance abatement over which the NYPD has jurisdiction. 

“This would never be tolerated in Manhattan. They tolerate it because it’s … a poor and impoverished area in the eyes of many New Yorkers, but that doesn’t give you a reason to allow this to exist,” Sliwa said. “This is so unfair … and the mayor is allowing a culture of corruption to exist. These police officers are on the take. It’s the only way they could operate openly. They’ll say, ‘We deny that.’ Well, that’s what happened in Flushing and that’s why they pushed it over here.”

Adams’ office did not respond to a request for comment. The NYPD confirmed the three arrests after the Sept. 18 raid but did not respond to a request for further comment.

No police officers have been charged for being involved in prostitution in recent years. In 2018, seven NYPD officers — three sergeants, two detectives and two officers — were indicted in connection with an illegal prostitution and gambling ring in Brooklyn and Queens, which encompassed Roosevelt Avenue.

Separately, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell told Fox News that it suspects members of the brutal Tren de Aragua are linked to prostitution in the area, trafficking women into the industry to pay off the debts the gang is owed for smuggling them into the country. 

A man asleep on a street surrounded by trash and clothes. (Ramses Frias)

Meanwhile, the Queens District Attorney’s Office says it is working hard to stamp out prostitution and crime in the area, noting the office has “evicted 13 prostitution locations this year being used for illegal activity on or near Roosevelt Avenue.” The office says it’s in the process of permanently shutting down the raided brothel.

Of Ocasio-Cortez, Frías said the socialist lawmaker has not been seen in the neighborhood since she took part in a rally there in August 2023, where she condemned a city crackdown on illegally operating vendors and called for the city to issue more permits to those vendors. 

“She does not visit this area; this is actually an area where she campaigned the hardest and a lot of people went out [to vote] for her, and she doesn’t come over here. She has totally neglected us,” Frías said, noting that other local elected officials are rarely seen in the area, which is only represented by Democrats.

“So, we’re totally neglected, we’re here to fend for ourselves and this is what we have to do now. We’re going to organize. We’re going to have a rally coming up on Sept. 29, and we’re going to let our voices be heard and make sure that the city understands that they need to come over here and do their job,” he adds. 

VIDEO: Illegal vendors selling food and clothes clog up streets of AOC’s district: city council candidate

Ocasio-Cortez’s office did not respond to repeated requests for comment on this story or on a March story in which Fox News Digital brought attention to the neighborhood’s plight, featuring the additional publication of a now-viral video provided by Frías showing an almost endless stream of vendors with piles of clothes stacked along the streets.

Police swept the area days later and Frías – a former Democrat who is running for City Council as a Republican next year – said vendors have simply set up shop there again. 

Rep. Grace Meng, whose district also encompasses Roosevelt Avenue, said in a one-line statement, “Quality of life and safety issues need to always be addressed, and I remain in contact with the 110th precinct, Councilman Moya, our local community board and other local elected officials.”

‘SHARK TANK’S’ KEVIN O’LEARY SHREDS AOC OVER HER DISTRICT LOOKING LIKE A ‘THIRD WORLD COUNTRY’

From left, Ramses Frías, Curtis Sliwa, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, City Council member Francisco Moya (Ramses Frias |  Getty Images)

Frías also took aim at state Sen. Jessica Ramos, a Democrat who represents the area and is running for mayor. She has previously labeled prostitution on the strip as “survival work” and in 2019 co-sponsored a series of bills that would have decriminalized sex work and vacated the records of people arrested or charged with prostitution or related offenses.

Ramos told Fox News Digital she was happy to see the recent raid take place and pitted blame on the mayor for the unsavory situation, saying Adams’ office has been sidetracked by scandals rather than addressing the concerns of the community. 

“No one wants to see people selling sex, especially when they’re being coerced by traffickers. It’s unclear what took so long,” Ramos said in a statement. 

“The underground economy has spiraled out of control,” she added, referencing the illegal vendors. “Without work permits from the ‘feds,’ migrants need honest work to provide for themselves. The fact is the migrants are here, and they want to work.”

Used clothes and other used items for sale are seen along a clogged sidewalk in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district in Queens. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

Meanwhile, Moya, who attended the January raid and has rallied alongside so-called “clean streets” advocates like Frías, said that his fellow Democrats are impeding efforts to shut down the brothels and illegal vendors. 

“I’ve lived my entire life in this district, and I’ve never seen it this bad,” Moya said of the prostitution. “After COVID, the situation has worsened significantly. The influx of migrants plays a part in this issue, as many have no other means of survival. The federal government has turned a blind eye to the situation and there’s only so much the city can do, since we don’t have the authority to grant work permits or legal status to those in need.”

Moya said other elected officials have been calling up city agencies demanding that all enforcement stop.

“Some elected officials don’t see this as a problem, suggesting that ‘work is work’ and we should let it be. I believe that if a state representative wants to legalize prostitution, it should be done with strict rules and regulations, in designated areas like the city of Amsterdam – not in our community, especially near schools where children pass by and witness these activities daily,” he insisted. 

“I’m doing everything in my power to mitigate this issue, as you can see many have been investigated and shutdown – but what I have been doing is being undermined by these leaders who don’t recognize the urgent need for change. Yet, I assure you, I will not stop until significant change is made.”

Prostitutes at work in Queens, New York City, in “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s district. (Michael Dorgan/Fox News Digital)

Ever think Octoberfest is missing something? Thanks to Harpoon Brewery in Boston, for one day in October, something a little extra has been added to the tradition: dogs.

On Sunday, Oct. 6, Harpoon will host its annual Dogtoberfest celebration. Following the brewery’s Octoberfest celebration on Oct. 4 and 5, this event invites beer lovers and their pups to celebrate the German tradition with a dog race, dog contests, food trucks and Harpoon brews.

The event is not just for fun, but is also a fundraiser, and all proceeds will be donated to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) and the Kenary Brain Tumor Research Fund at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Find out everything you need to know before attending the event below.

Harpoon Dogtoberfest Attractions

The festival kicks off with “Fast & Furriest 3-Mile Run. Walk. Wag,” a three-mile race for dogs and their owners. Recently winning the No. 2 spot on USA Today’s list of the 10 best fun runs in the country, this activity is perfect for dogs who love to walk or run.

When race participants return to the “barking” lot, they will be greeted with a vendor row full of shops, photo booths, food trucks and beer for both dogs and owners to enjoy. Alongside draft choices like Harpoon IPA, Juicer Hazy IPA, Rec. League and Flannel Friday, Harpoon will also have a dog-friendly brew made with malted barley mash and peanut butter.

After enjoying a beer or two, dogs can compete in The Fest-minster Dog Show, featuring special announcer Brandon Clay from 101.7 The Bull. This year’s contest categories are high five, trick, look-alike and costume. To compete in any of the contests, register your dog at customer service during the event. All dogs can compete in the costume contest, but the other categories are limited to 10 pups each. Winners receive packs of Harpoon beer and ribbons, among other surprise prizes.

Tickets to Harpoon Dogtoberfest

Regular admission tickets are $25 for ages 21 and older and free for those under 21 who enter with a paying adult. To compete in the Fast & Furriest race, tickets are $15 for those under 21 and $45 for ages 21 and older. Participants of the Fast & Furriest must sign up before Oct. 1, but regular tickets will be available until the start of the event.

When and where is Harpoon Dogtoberfest 2024?

Dogtoberfest will take place from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6 at the Harpoon Brewery, 306 Northern Ave. in Boston.

More: Harpoon Octoberfest 2024 returns to Boston soon. Your guide to what’s happening this year

Rules for dogs at Dogtoberfest

• Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. Leashes cannot be retractable or longer than six feet.
• Dogs in heat cannot attend.
• All dogs must be up to date on vaccinations.
• Owners must clean up after their own dogs.
• Dogs participating in the Fast & Furriest race must be at least six months old and comfortable walking or running in a busy environment. It is recommended that leashes attach to a harness rather than a neck collar for the race.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has not yet made Justin Fields the team’s official starting quarterback, but he is still in line to start a fourth consecutive game to open the season when they play the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers, with a 3-0 start, are a small road favorite against the 1-2 Colts, who are coming off their first win of the season.

The Steelers’ Week 3 win against the Los Angeles Chargers seemed like a big development for Fields as he had by far his best passing day of the season, leading four scoring drives (including two touchdown drives) in another win. If he is able to guide Pittsburgh to a win on Sunday with another strong performance it would be difficult to imagine Russell Wilson getting the starting job back anytime soon.

It could be a promising offensive matchup for the Steelers, given their desire to run the ball and the Colts’ struggles in stopping the run at times early this season. But Pittsburgh is dealing with some injuries in the ground game, as starting left guard Isaac Seumalo is still working his way back from injury while running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are both dealing with injuries. Harris is expected to play but was seen with a sling on his arm earlier in the week.

This is also going to be a massive test for Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, going up against a Steelers defense with a relentless pass rush that is allowing just 8.6 points per game through the first three weeks. Richardson has been a very boom-or-bust player early in his career. While he’s struggling with turnovers, he’s also making some of the most jaw-dropping throws you can imagine from a quarterback. There will be big-play opportunities in both directions here.

Mike Tomlin is only 32-40-3 against the spread as a road favorite in his head coaching career (going back to the start of the 2007 season), but he is 4-1 in such games since the start of the 2022 season.

All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts odds

How to watch Steelers vs. Colts

• Venue: Luca Oil Stadium — Indianapolis
• Time: 1 p.m. ET
• TV: CBS
• Streaming: Fubo (try for free)

Expert picks for Steelers vs. Colts

Read more about NFL Week 4

Odds, expert picks for all 16 NFL Week 4 games: Five undefeated teams hit the road as rivalries heat up

Best bets Week 4: Picking the Jets to stay hot and a pair of underdogs to win

What are the Top 10 front offices in NFL? Here’s how 40 executives and coaches voted

(Photo of Justin Fields: Joe Sargent / Getty Images)