NYC to end controversial program supplying migrants with prepaid debit cards

Mayor Eric Adams is ending his administration’s arguable program supplying migrants successful metropolis shelters pinch prepaid debit cards to salary for groceries.

The aviator programme distributed nan preloaded Mastercards to asylum seekers astatine hotels-turned-shelters pinch a family of 4 receiving astir $350 a week to screen nan costs of groceries and babe supplies.

The metropolis hired New Jersey-based tech startup, Mobility Capital Finance, successful a $53 cardinal one-year “emergency” statement that drew backlash erstwhile nan metropolis failed to behaviour a emblematic bidding process earlier picking nan company.

But pinch nan 1 twelvemonth up shortly, nan Adams management decided against renewing nan contract, ABC7 reported.

“As we move towards much competitory contracting for asylum seeker programs, we person chosen not to renew nan emergency statement for this aviator programme erstwhile nan one-year word concludes,” Adams’s Office said successful a connection to nan station.

The metropolis launched nan programme successful precocious March aft inking nan statement 2 months earlier. Since then, nan metropolis has handed retired $3.2 cardinal successful prepaid debit cards to immoderate 2,600 migrant families for food, according to ABC7.

The programme was meant to some trim costs and trim nutrient discarded associated pinch nan city’s boxed-meal transportation work program. City officials said a batch of nan nutrient successful nan boxed meals was tossed retired while allowing migrants to prime and take what they wanted to eat trim backmost connected waste.

The Adams management said nan no-bid emergency statement was awarded to debar delays successful rolling retired nan cost-saving program.

City Comptroller Brad Lander has since revoked nan city’s expertise to grant specified deals for migrant services.

The Adams management did not supply a logic connected Thursday for cutting nan program.

A spokesperson for nan politician did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.