New York City officials are distributing prepaid debit cards to illegal aliens as part of a $53 million pilot program. The mayor’s office confirmed that several migrant families received the first debit cards on Monday. They are intended for use on food and baby supplies.
The program will provide illegal families of four with two children under 5 up to $350 each week. It will expand to roughly 115 families — nearly 500 people – over the next week. The cards may only be used at bodegas, convenience stores, grocery stores, and supermarkets, and migrants who participate in the scheme must sign an affidavit stating they will only spend the money on food and baby supplies. Illegals who fail to abide by the stipulations of the program could lose access to the funds.
A spokesman for the mayor said the scheme is a “cost-saving measure” to “replace the city’s current system of providing non-perishable food boxes to migrant families staying in hotels.” They added: “Not only will this provide families with the ability to purchase fresh food for their culturally-relevant diets and the baby supplies of their choosing, but the pilot program is expected to save New York City taxpayers more than $600,000 per month and $7 million per year.”
New York City faces severe strains on its resources due to the ongoing border crisis. The illegal alien ‘newcomers‘ negatively impact the city’s finances, housing, and law and order. In February, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said the city is “out of room” for migrants. Last year, the mayor warned the illegal alien influx “will destroy” the city.
