Immigrants in New York: Uncertainty after announcement of food aid cuts

The measure announced by the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, will take effect from January 2025. Photo: EFE

November 13, 2024 Time: 2:10 p.m.

Concern among immigrant community over end of food stamp program. There is a severe budget shortfall in New York City that threatens to close many temporary shelters.

Even before Donald Trump installs himself as the president of the United States, his anti-immigrant winds are already starting to be felt in New York. Nearly 2,600 immigrant families in the city could be left in a state of food insecurity after Mayor Eric Adams‘ announcement they no longer receive prepaid cash cards to buy food.

One of those affected by this, undocumented immigrant Anita Páez, mourns because this benefit is a basic help for mothers whose husbands do not earn a good salary and cannot work. «The truth is that it is going to hit a lot because it is a benefit that a person has, more than anything that helps one, at least for us mothers.“While my husband is working and he is not earning a good salary, I cannot work, and it would be a good option to get that help,” she said.

Immigrants claim that many are still not getting helpthey also announced that the program would be canceled this month. “No, I’m not getting help yet, because they told me they were going to cancel the program this month, so I’m not going to get help nothing for the children,” she lamented.

The measure announced by Mayor Adams will take effect from January 2025. All these families from Latin American countries crossed the border with Mexico and were sent to New York from Texas as a measure of revenge against the city of sanctuary.

New York City has invested $3,200,000 in this migrant prevention program. And while many New Yorkers support immigration, they also believe that public assistance should be limitedAs the resident Lisbeyli Rojas said: “the help is good, at least, that they give within a period of five or two in time and then one has to improve, because one came to to develop here, not to be maintained.” ».

The biggest concern for more than 2,600 families, many with young children, is that they will be left completely stranded, as There is a serious budget deficit in the city which threatens to close many of the temporary shelters. Anita Páez fears that she will have to find a new place in just two weeks, as she has been told that the shelter where she lives will close on December 1st.

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