Following the news that Eric Adams, the Democratic mayor of New York City, has plans to give up to thousands of dollars to illegal immigrants, the city council is calling for an investigation.
The mayor’s expensive plan has been met with strong resistance from city and state officials as well as backlash from the public. Gale Brewer, a member of the city council, has been particularly vocal about her opposition, giving voice to the majority of the council and its demands to see more details about the plan before giving it the green light.
Adams’ initiative to give illegal immigrants prepaid debit cards to pay for food and other necessities was his response to ongoing tension between illegal immigrants and law enforcement officers in the city. As explained in a Fox 5 New York report earlier this week, illegal immigrants have attacked police officers multiple times.
The mayor’s pilot program would award $13 per day to illegal immigrants so they could pay for food and baby products. Adams reportedly specified that these two product groups are the only ones intended to be bought with the money, saying that if the system is used for other purposes, “we will take those cards away.”
Illegal immigrants eligible to receive the cards include at least 500 families, which could result in up to $10,000 worth of funds on the prepaid debit cards that would be given to illegal immigrants in New York City.
The policy was first suggested earlier this month with the intention of saving the city money as it would provide a way for the illegal immigrants to pay for their own food instead of food-service losses. Originally, Adams speculated that the cards would be paid for with $53 million of the city’s funding and provide $35 a day to illegal immigrants.
However, a particularly concerning aspect of the proposal is Adams’ plan to install it as a no-bid contract, meaning the gifts would be awarded to individual recipients without any competition.
The pilot program has received tremendous backlash from the public. Conservative social media account Libs of TikTok, run by Chaya Raichik, has contributed to the circulation of the stark contrast between how illegal immigrants are being treated compared to legal residents of New York City.
In a video clip posted to X, Raichik showed a number of homeless people on the streets of the city, surrounded by garbage. Her caption with the post pointed out that illegal immigrants will be given money to survive while “our veterans are starving” and “Americans are suffering.”
NYC Mayor Eric Adams is planning to give up to $10k to every illegal.
Meanwhile these are the streets of NYC.
Our veterans are starving.
Americans are suffering.
America last: The Democrat way. pic.twitter.com/iBUOKhKCqx
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 21, 2024
