The Trump Effect? New York City will stop giving debit cards to immigrants seeking asylum

Eric Adams announced that New York City will stop providing prepaid debit cards to immigrants seeking asylum in the city. The Democratic mayor justified his decision by arguing that the program was temporary and no longer needed because the immigration influx had dropped considerably since February, when he began this initiative.

The mayor's plan gave debit cards to 2,600 migrant families to buy food. It is still run by New Jersey-based Mobility Capital Finance and the cards in question can only be used at bodegas, grocery stores, supermarkets and convenience stores.

In turn, recipients must sign an affidavit stating that they will only spend the funds on food, or else they will be kicked out of the program.

Less than a year after inception, the mayor's office decided not to renew the contract with Mobility Capital Finance. The contract was not bid out at the time because it was implemented as an emergency. "It was an emergency and now we're moving in another direction," expressed Adams in dialogue with WABC-TV, adding that the program was "successful."

As reported from New York Daily News, the city's Department of Investigation is looking into the contract with the aforementioned company. According to The New York Times, the Democratic mayor defended the contract from the beginning, relying on the idea that it coincided with two of his priorities: "Using technology to improve city services and hiring women- and minority-owned businesses".

New York City spent an estimated $3.6 million on the program, of which $3.2 million was placed on cards and $400,000 was paid to Mobility Capital Finance. Adams defended the program at the time saying it would lower the cost of food for migrants seeking asylum and improve the quality of their food as well.