Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) mocked New York City‘s handling of migrants since he’s bussed thousands of them from Texas to the area.
Abbott appeared on Sunday Morning Futures, calling it “insanity” that migrants in NYC will be receiving pre-paid credit cards to buy food and baby supplies.
“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. “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.”
Some 500 families staying at the Roosevelt Hotel will receive the cards. The amount allotted every 28 days will depend on the size of the family, with a family of four receiving $1,000. The pilot program will cost the city $53 million.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ spokeswoman, Kayla Mamelak, has defended the new 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,” Mamelak said in a statement.
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This program replaced the policy that was costing the city $11 per meal to feed migrants. The cards will only be accepted at grocery stores, convenience stores, and bodegas. Additionally it will require signed affidavits from the migrants, noting their agreement to only spend the allowance on food and baby supplies or else risk losing the privilege.
Adams reported over 157,000 immigrants have arrived in New York City since last year. That population is one-and-a-half times the size of the state’s capitol, Albany, New York. According to the most recent press release from Abbott’s office, of the immigrants that New York City has received, over 37,600 were sent by Texas since August 2022.
