New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams has abruptly announced the end of his $53 million free debit card program for migrants only a day after President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 election with his tougher stance on immigration policy.
Adams floated the program in February ostensibly to give illegal migrants control over purchasing their own food. He also claimed it would save the city money in its spending on migrants.
The mayor launched his pilot program in February to funnel $53 million in taxpayer dollars to Mobility Capital Finance via a no-bid contract that provided 500 migrant families with prepaid debit cards while they live in hotels rent-free.
By July, he moved to expand the program to seven thousand more migrants at an additional cost of $2.6 million tax dollars.
Now, however, that program has suddenly been mothballed.
“As we move towards more competitive contracting for asylum seeker programs, we have chosen not to renew the emergency contract for this pilot program once the one-year term concludes,” Adams’ office said in a statement to New York’s WABC-TV:
In early 2024, Adams hailed the program as a way to reduce food waste and trim costs. And despite his sunny proclamations about the policy, Adams has not given a reason for why he is now canceling the debit card program.
Adams has faced harsh criticism for his wild spending on migrants. But he was recently handed a check on his spending when the city comptroller moved to revoke city hall’s ability to enter into emergency deals for migrant services.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams: Migrant Crisis Will Destroy New York City
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