Mayor Eric Adams Ends Controversial Debit Card Program for Migrants
- New York City spent about $3.6 million on a pilot program giving debit cards to migrant families.
- The program faced criticism and scrutiny, leading to its termination after nearly a year.
- Mayor Eric Adams stated that the emergency arose due to a decreasing migrant population, and the city will switch back to meal delivery services.
In November 2024, New York City officials announced the conclusion of a pilot program aimed at assisting migrant families with food purchases. The program, initiated in February, provided debit cards to over 2,600 families staying in city-funded hotels and cost the city approximately $3.6 million, including payments to Mobility Capital Finance. The decision to terminate the program followed criticism regarding the potential misuse of the cards and concerns over prioritizing migrants over other needy populations. Although the flow of migrants into the city has slowed, Mayor Eric Adams indicated that the initial emergency context of the program had changed, leading to the shift back to delivering meals through an existing contract. The city will now revert to providing food services with Garner Environmental Services, as scrutiny continues over spending on migrant aid and associated contracts.