Texas Governor Greg Abbott continued his long-running feud with New York City Mayor Eric Adams over the disaster at the border, calling the Big Apple’s plan to give migrants in the city pre-paid credit cards ‘insanity.’
It was revealed yesterday that migrants housed in one of the city’s hotels will receive pre-paid cards to buy food and baby supplies, instead of the city providing meals the migrants often did not want.
Adams estimated the $53 million scheme will save the city $600,000 a month, or $7.2 million annually, drawing outrage from many across the country, including native New Yorkers like rapper 50 Cent.
Abbott, who has been in a war of words with Democrat mayors of large cities and bused thousands of them from his own border, slammed the proposal on Sunday.
‘It sounds like insanity is behind it because it really is offensive. It may be the most reprehensible thing that I’ve seen take place over the past 48 hours,’ Abbott said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott continued his long-running feud with New York City Mayor Eric Adams over the disaster at the border, calling his plan to give migrants in the city pre-paid credit cards ‘insanity’
![Abbott's office claimed that since August of 2022, Texas has sent around 37,600 migrants to New York City, more than any other city](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/05/01/80843857-13044677-image-a-1_1707094974528.jpg)
Abbott’s office claimed that since August of 2022, Texas has sent around 37,600 migrants to New York City, more than any other city
‘What’s going on in New York is outrageous, and Americans across the entire country are angry not just about what’s going on in New York, but the underlying cause for it, which is Joe Biden’s open border policies,’ he told Fox Business.
Abbott’s office claimed that since August of 2022, Texas has sent around 37,600 migrants to New York City, more than any other city.
It’s among the more than 150,000 that have arrived in city from all points under the Biden administration.
The pilot program is being rolled out at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, with 500 families involved, The New York Post reported. A family of four will get a card loaded with $1,000-a-month, equivalent to $35 a day.
Those selected will be given cards that can be only used at bodegas, supermarkets and delis. Migrants must sign an affidavit promising to only use the cards for food and baby supplies, or else have them cut off. It is unclear how the City of New York will know if they’re just being used in bodegas as intended.
The amount on each card will depend on individual circumstances. It is unclear how city officials will check if cards are being abused – and if the scheme will worsen the crisis by encouraging other migrants to head to the Big Apple in the hopes of receiving free money.
A family of four could be provided nearly $1,000 each month, which is $35 per day for food for the four.
At present, each migrant meal costs $11, so feeding a family of four for a day could cost up to $132.
Cards will get refilled every 28 days.
![Abbott, who has been in a war of words with Democrat mayors of large cities and bused thousands of them from his own border, slammed the proposal on Sunday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/04/23/80842127-13044677-image-a-12_1707090721307.jpg)
Abbott, who has been in a war of words with Democrat mayors of large cities and bused thousands of them from his own border, slammed the proposal on Sunday
![Adams estimated the $53 million scheme will save the city $600,000 a month, or $7.2 million annually, drawing outrage from many across the country](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/04/23/80842917-13044677-image-a-5_1707090267110.jpg)
Adams estimated the $53 million scheme will save the city $600,000 a month, or $7.2 million annually, drawing outrage from many across the country
![Migrants are seen outside The Roosevelt Hotel on January 9. Families living in the hotel will participate in the pre-paid card pilot scheme, where they buy food instead of being given meals](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/03/00/80798429-13040067-image-a-11_1706920916947.jpg)
Migrants are seen outside The Roosevelt Hotel on January 9. Families living in the hotel will participate in the pre-paid card pilot scheme, where they buy food instead of being given meals
![Migrants arrive at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on January 26](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/03/01/80798437-13040067-Migrants_arrive_at_The_Roosevelt_Hotel_in_New_York_City_on_Janua-a-43_1706922520016.jpg)
Migrants arrive at The Roosevelt Hotel in New York City on January 26
![The hotel has been used as a migrant shelter since May 2023](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/03/01/80798427-13040067-The_hotel_has_been_used_as_a_migrant_shelter_since_May_2023-a-44_1706922520444.jpg)
The hotel has been used as a migrant shelter since May 2023
The scheme was used last year for residents of public housing, so they could buy food for the holidays.
‘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,’ said Kayla Mamelak, Adams’s spokesperson.
The program is being run by a company founded by a former Wall Street financier, Wole Coaxum, called MoCaFi.
Its website describes MoCaFi as ‘a financial services platform for the 110 million Americans dealing with economic hardship and no path to a better circumstance.’
Coaxum said: ‘MoCaFi looks forward to partnering with New York City to disburse funds for asylum seekers to purchase fresh, hot food.
![Adams, the mayor of New York, is seen on January 25. He has pleaded with Joe Biden for federal help in dealing with the migrant crisis in the city](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/03/01/80797823-13040067-Eric_Adams_the_mayor_of_New_York_is_seen_on_January_25_He_has_pl-a-46_1706922520543.jpg)
Adams, the mayor of New York, is seen on January 25. He has pleaded with Joe Biden for federal help in dealing with the migrant crisis in the city
![Those selected will be given cards that can be only used at bodegas, supermarkets and delis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/02/04/22/80798425-13040067-Migrants_will_be_given_pre_paid_cards_loaded_with_money_to_spend-a-1_1707084426563.jpg)
Those selected will be given cards that can be only used at bodegas, supermarkets and delis
‘MoCaFi’s goal is to expand access to financial resources for individuals excluded from banking, such as asylum seekers, while helping the local economy.’
If the program is a success, the city will expand it to the estimated 15,000 migrant families staying in hotels.
Around 70,000 migrants have been bused or flown to New York City in 2023, putting extreme pressure on the Big Apple’s resources.
Abbott began sending migrants to NYC and other Democrat-run cities that bill themselves as ‘sanctuaries’ for border crossers to show them just how much pressure the crisis has piled on border states.
His plan appears to have worked – with Democrat lawmakers now taking a far tougher stance on the crisis and President Biden himself vowing to take stronger steps to tackle it.