Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), once celebrated as a bold new voice in progressive politics, is now facing mounting criticism from residents in her home district as crime surges and community concerns grow louder.

While the congresswoman travels across the country promoting national campaigns and sharing stages with prominent figures like Senator Bernie Sanders, residents in parts of Queens and the Bronx say they’re feeling increasingly abandoned by their representative.

In neighborhoods such as Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Corona, major crimes including robbery, assault, and burglary have significantly risen over the past several years. Data from precincts within Ocasio-Cortez’s district reflect troubling trends: the 110th Precinct has seen crime rates more than double since 2019, and the 115th Precinct reports an 85% increase in serious offenses.

For longtime residents like Guadelupe Alvarez, who once supported Ocasio-Cortez, the shift has been deeply disappointing. “It feels like she’s just disappeared,” Alvarez said. “We don’t see her at local events, and when we try to bring issues up, we get silence or a brush-off.”

Alvarez shared that she’s now considering leaving the area altogether. “It breaks my heart. I love this community, but I don’t feel safe here anymore—and a lot of people I know feel the same way.”

Frustration is also growing among local leaders and political challengers. Ramses Frias, a Republican City Council candidate in the Bronx, voiced concern over Ocasio-Cortez’s focus. “She’s out campaigning against billionaires while her own constituents are afraid to walk their kids to school. That’s not leadership—it’s negligence,” he said.

Ocasio-Cortez’s critics also point to her national stance on police reform as contributing to the problem. Her advocacy for reducing police budgets and reshaping law enforcement has drawn both praise and backlash. Public safety experts argue that these positions may have had unintended consequences at the local level.

“She’s helped create an environment where policing is viewed as the enemy,” said Hannah Meyers, a public safety researcher. “Now fewer people want to join the force, and that impacts everything—from patrols to emergency response.”

Meyers added that while Ocasio-Cortez’s emphasis on racial and social justice is well-known, it doesn’t always align with the day-to-day safety concerns of working families in her district—many of whom are themselves people of color.

In 2020, Ocasio-Cortez made headlines for her unambiguous statement, “Defunding the police means defunding the police.” Two years later, she doubled down by questioning whether increased police funding correlates with lower crime—a claim that remains controversial and highly debated.

National Police Association spokesperson Betsy Brantner Smith criticized the congresswoman’s approach: “You can’t fight for working families if they don’t feel safe in their own neighborhoods. Real freedom starts with security.”

As speculation continues about Ocasio-Cortez’s future political ambitions, including a possible run for Senate, many of her constituents say they want action—not slogans.

For now, the message from back home is clear: it’s time to turn attention back to the community that helped launch her career.