Texas Gov. Greg Abbott calls NYC’s plan to give migrants pre-paid credit cards to buy food ‘insanity’ as 37,600 migrants have flooded New York City from the Lone Star State since August 2022
Texas Governor Greg Abbott continued his long-running feud with New York Mayor Eric Adams over the disaster at the border, calling his plan to give migrants in the city prepaid credit cards “madness.”
Yesterday it was revealed that migrants staying in one of the city’s hotels will receive pre-paid cards to help them buy food and baby supplies, rather than the city providing meals that migrants often did not want.
Adams estimates the $53 million plan will save the city $600,000 a month, or $7.2 million a year, drawing outrage from many across the country, including native New Yorkers like rapper 50 Cent.
Abbott, who has waged a war of words with Democratic mayors of major cities and transported thousands of them from his own border, rejected the proposal on Sunday.
“It sounds like there’s madness behind it because it’s really offensive. It may be the most despicable thing I’ve seen happen in the last 48 hours,” Abbott said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott continued his long-running feud with New York Mayor Eric Adams over the disaster at the border, calling his plan to give migrants in the city prepaid credit cards “insanity.”
“What’s happening in New York is outrageous, and Americans across the country are angry not only about what’s happening in New York, but also about the root cause of it, which is Joe Biden’s open borders policies,” he told Fox Business.
Abbott’s office claimed that Texas has sent about 37,600 migrants to New York City since August 2022, more than any other city.
The pilot program is being rolled out at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, involving 500 families. The New York Post reported. A family of four receives a card with $1,000 per month, which is equivalent to $35 per day.
Those selected will receive cards that can only be used at bodegas, supermarkets and delicatessens. Migrants must sign an affidavit promising to use the cards only for food and baby supplies, or else have them cut off. It’s unclear how the city of New York will know if they are only being used in bodegas as intended.
The amount on each card depends on individual circumstances. It’s unclear how city officials will monitor whether cards are being misused — and whether the plan will worsen the crisis by encouraging other migrants to head to the Big Apple in hopes of receiving free money.
A family of four could get almost $1,000 each month, which equates to $35 a day for food for the four.
Currently, each migrant meal costs $11, so feeding a family of four for a day could cost up to $132.
Cards are refilled every 28 days.
Abbott, who has waged a war of words with Democratic mayors of major cities and transported thousands of them from his own border, rejected the proposal on Sunday.
Adams estimated the $53 million plan will save the city $600,000 a month, or $7.2 million a year, drawing outrage from many across the country.
Migrants are seen outside the Roosevelt Hotel on January 9. Families living at the hotel will participate in the prepaid card pilot, purchasing food instead of receiving meals.
Migrants arrive at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on January 26
The hotel has been used as a reception center for migrants since May 2023
The scheme was used last year for residents of social housing, so that they could buy food for the holidays.
“Not only will this provide families with the opportunity to purchase fresh foods for their culturally relevant diets and the baby supplies of their choice, but the pilot program is expected to save New York City more than $600,000 per month, or more than $7.2 million per month.” year. said Kayla Mamelak, Adams’ spokesperson.
The program is run by a company founded by a former Wall Street financier, Wole Coaxum, called MoCaFi.
The website describes MoCaFi as “a financial services platform for the 110 million Americans facing economic hardship and no path to better circumstances.”
Coaxum said, “MoCaFi looks forward to working with New York City to free up funds for asylum seekers to purchase fresh, hot food.
‘MoCaFi’s aim is to expand access to financial resources for individuals excluded from banking, such as asylum seekers, while helping the local economy.’
If the program is successful, the city will expand it to the estimated 15,000 migrant families staying in hotels.
Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, is seen on January 25. He has begged Joe Biden for federal help in addressing the city’s migrant crisis
Migrants will be given prepaid cards packed with cash to spend on food and baby supplies
About 70,000 migrants have been brought to New York City by bus or plane in the past year, putting an extreme strain on the Big Apple’s resources.
Abbott began sending migrants to NYC and other Democratic-run cities that bill themselves as “havens” for border crossers, to show them how much pressure the crisis has put on border states.
His plan appears to have worked — with Democratic lawmakers taking a much tougher stance on the crisis and President Biden himself promising to take stronger steps to address the crisis.