New York promotes a $53 million program to provide credit cards to migrant families seeking asylum

New York City will allocate $53 million to a program that seeks to feed immigrant families seeking asylum in the Big Apple. Specifically, prepaid credit cards will be loaded to first help 500 families buy food.

The pilot program will also be led by the New Jersey company Mobility Capital Finance, and the cards they provide can only be used in warehouses, grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores.

In turn, immigrants must sign an affidavit confirming that they will only spend the funds on food or else they will be expelled from the program.

"Not only will this provide families with the ability to purchase fresh food for their culturally relevant diets and the baby supplies of their choosing, but the pilot program is expected to save New York City more than $600,000 per month, or more than $7.2 million annually," Kayla Mamelak, Mayor Eric Adams spokesperson, stated.

The amount of each card will vary depending on the size of the family and the income each receives. The cards will be reloaded every 28 days. For example, a family of four could receive up to $1,000 a month, equivalent to $35 a day for food.

If the program is successful, NYC is expected to expand it to all immigrant families staying in hotels, which currently number approximately 15,000.

According to the Adams Administration's website, "MoCaFi will launch and pilot the Immediate Response Cards by first supporting families with children in HPD's care who are staying in hotels."

"MoCaFi will support this program by providing the families Immediate Response Cards to help subsidize their food and supplies. IRCs will be hand delivered at the Roosevelt Hotel (the first touchpoint for new arriving asylum seekers) and distributed by MoCaFi staff directly to asylum seekers receiving financial assistance," they added.