opinion
New York City has launched a $53 million program to provide prepaid debit cards to undocumented immigrants, allowing them to spend money at local grocery stores.
Illegal aliens staying at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan will be given prepaid cards to spend on food, and will only work at grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores.
The program offers different amounts to families depending on their size and whether they have income. A family of four can get up to $1,000 a month, or $35 a day, to spend on food and baby supplies. Cards will be refilled every 28 days.
One might imagine that there are quite a few New Yorkers themselves who would benefit from a food and grocery stipend of $1,000 a month.
RELATED: Shocking video shows illegal immigrants assaulting NYPD officers — released without bail
Celebrating debit cards for illegal immigrants
Mayor Eric Adams' office claims the program will actually save the city money as an alternative to serving meals at a hotel. They, of course, pay for the hotel room too, and now they can go out on the town and spend taxpayer money on their groceries.
Readers of The Policy Insider may recall that the Adams administration provided shelters for undocumented immigrants in 2022 with televisions, Xbox game consoles, and “culturally appropriate” meals.
They lived better in an unaffordable city than some city dwellers.
New York City opens its first “tent shelter” for migrants.
The amenities are amazing: flat screen TVs, Xbox video games, and laundry services.@jasonrantz Talking about it on @varneko. pic.twitter.com/1uXB8sQm8b
— AM 770 KTTH 🎙 (@770KTTH) October 19, 2022
The New York Post reported that this $53 million program is a pilot effort offered to about 500 undocumented immigrant families but could expand to include approximately 15,000 currently staying in hotels throughout New York City.
And in case you're worried, the mayor's office is once again making sure that illegal aliens are able to use these prepaid debit cards for their culturally strict meals.
“Not only will this provide families the ability to purchase fresh foods for their culturally appropriate diet and baby supplies of their choice, but the pilot is expected to save New York City more than $600,000 per month, or more than $7.2 million annually.” “, Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamilak He said.
You may recall that Adams estimated that the illegal immigrant crisis would cost New Yorkers $12 billion by mid-2025 (roughly one year from today), a figure he said would “devastate” the city.
For those of us who use calculators, the $7.2 million savings comes out to 0.06% of the $12 billion estimate. They brag about saving 0.06% of the amount they said would destroy the city and the people who live in it. Will reducing the price tag from $12 billion to $11.99 billion save New York City?
RELATED: Angry New Yorkers shout at AOC over illegal immigrant crisis: 'Send them back!'
They promise to use them correctly
Perhaps the most amusing part of the program to provide debit cards to illegal immigrants — or the tragic part, depending on your point of view — is that the city relies on people who entered the country illegally to essentially swear that they will use the money appropriately.
To ensure funds are used appropriately, recipients must sign an affidavit swearing to use the funds only for food and baby supplies or risk being removed from the program.
They didn't respect the rules to get there but they did definitely We'll follow the rules of this money-grabbing pilot, of course.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) stood in front of the same Roosevelt Hotel just a few months ago and tried to convince city residents how important it was to make sure illegal aliens inside had “all the resources.” ” necessary.
She and her fellow Democrats were immediately shut down and forced to cut short the press conference due to angry residents shouting “Send them back!”
AOC is getting a fitting welcome from angry New Yorkers who don't want their city to turn into a dumping ground for immigrants. pic.twitter.com/OOueC2kd7V
– Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 15, 2023
We'll be curious to see how these same people react to the news that illegal immigrants at this very hotel will be getting $1,000 prepaid debit cards with what's essentially… they Taxpayers' money charged to them.
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