Some of New York City’s busiest highways and roads are drawing migrant moms so desperate to make a buck that they hawk mangoes and drinks in traffic — often with babies strapped to their backs.
Maria, 20, had her year-old infant strapped to her back.
Veronica, 25, carried her 3-year-old daughter the same way, wavering around cars to score sales when traffic halted for a red light.
“We don’t want to be on the street,” said Veronica.
“What we want in this country is a real job.”
“A lot of people who see us selling here take pictures and videos of us, and say ‘You can’t be here selling like this’ and ‘Not with your baby,’” added Veronica, who shares a two-bedroom Brooklyn apartment with five family members.
But “some days there is no one to leave them with … [and] if we don’t work, we can’t pay the rent [and buy] food … for the babies.”
Maria said she has little choice when the alternative is not working.
“We can’t find jobs — that’s why we are selling,” said Maria, who rents a single room at a Jamaica apartment with her sister.
“I don’t want to keep doing this. I want a real job — not this.”
Both women say they recently met selling fruit at the intersection and became friends.
They work three to four days a week, four to five hours at a time.
They said they typically spend $100 at a local market buying up three days worth of fruit to flip for profits, and usually sell 10 to 15 cups a day.
Whatever they fail to sell, they consume.
Along a ramp by the busy Van Wyck Expressway in Queens, near the Horace Harding Expressway, another Ecuadorian migrant, Llosa 39, was accompanied Wednesday by her 12-year-old son while selling cups of fruit for $5.
“It’s dangerous,” she said.
“It scares me for him and for me. But I need to do it to occupy my mind and earn money. Who is going to make money for us to have food if not me?”
Both came illegally into the U.S. a month ago.
Llosa said the child comes with her because there’s no one to to take care of him.
“We’re not doing anything bad,” insisted Llosa, who figures making about $70 a day in profits — provided she sells all $30 of fruit she buys at local markets.
“We’re not robbing anyone.”
Over the past two weeks, Post reporters have also seen women along with kids selling fruit on the Harlem River Drive, FDR Drive and West Side Highway in Manhattan.
Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens) said he sympathizes with the unlicensed fruit sellers but added they’re putting themselves and children in genuine danger.
In a letter last week to Mayor Adams, he advocated the NYPD do a better job cracking down.
“These children are constantly exposed to toxic fumes and the possibility of a catastrophic accident that could kill or maim them and their families,” said Holden, adding he suspects organized gangs may be entangled and taking advantage of the sellers.
All of the migrants interviewed by the Post maintained that they were working independently.
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The Roosevelt Hotel NYC, where migrants are being processed.
The united states army , including Marines army air force and Navy soldiers , is stationed at the hotel assisting the migrants .
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