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New York City has discontinued a program that provided prepaid debit cards to migrant families residing in the city.
The program, known as the Immediate Response Cards (IRC) pilot program, aimed to reduce food waste, support local businesses, and provide culturally relevant food to migrants. However, the mayor’s office has opted not to renew the emergency contract for the program.
Under the IRC program, migrant families received weekly allowances on prepaid cards for essential items, such as food. The program was limited to families participating in a separate program that provided hotel stays.
Officials estimated the program saved the city around $600,000 per month. New York City has faced an influx of over 200,000 migrants since 2022 and has implemented various settlement options, including a re-ticketing center for one-way plane tickets.
Late last month, the city confirmed that 4,500 migrants had been sent back to Texas using bus or plane tickets purchased by the city. Texas Governor Greg Abbott began sending migrants to sanctuary cities in 2022 to relieve pressure on border communities.