New York City expands costly debit card program for illegal aliens

New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams’ office recently announced plans to expand its debit card program for illegal aliens residing in taxpayer-funded shelters.

The initial pilot program included 3,000 illegal immigrants, and now the administration is expected to provide another 7,300 individuals with the pre-loaded cards over the next six months, which will cost New York City taxpayers $2.6 million.

‘We have no obligation to house, feed, clothe these individuals.’

New York City Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom claimed that the city’s program “empower[s] people” by helping “them achieve self-sufficiency and access the American dream.”

“They can buy from local shops, support small businesses, and manage their own resources,” Williams-Isom stated, noting that the illegal aliens can “make choices for themselves and their children” on which items they want to purchase.

One illegal immigrant told WNYW that the taxpayer-funded shelter she and her three children have been residing at for the past nine months rarely has “fresh food.”

“We don’t eat here often because you can tell the food is not fresh,” she stated.

She told the news outlet that she hopes the city will give her one of the debit cards as part of its extended program.

Those who receive the pre-loaded cards will have a 28-day allowance that can be used at specific stores for food and baby supplies. A four-person family with children under 5 years old could receive up to $350 per week, roughly $18,200 a year, the Center Square reported. According to a group of congressional Republicans, the debit card program exceeds the $291 per month in food stamps provided to low-income, elderly, and disabled U.S. citizens through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The Adams administration has framed the program as a “cost-savings measure” since it is reportedly half the price of delivering food to the illegal aliens residing in the city’s shelters. According to the city, the debit card program has already saved over $598,000 and will save roughly $4 million by the end of the year, WNYW reported.

The Adams administration’s debit card program could cost up to $53 million, according to WNBC.

Council Member David Carr opposed the program, stating that New York City has “no obligation to do anything.”

“We have no obligation to house, feed, clothe these individuals, and as we’ve been saying for almost two years now, the things that the city are doing are creating incentives for these migrants to come here,” Carr argued.