New York City Mayor Eric Adams' decision to give debit cards pre-loaded with money to migrants is drawing more asylum seekers to the city, city council members say.
Vickie Paladino, a Republican who represents Northeast Queens, said the money being handed out to asylum seekers through the debit cards has become an "incentive" for migrants coming to the city.
"We hear it from many of the migrants themselves – they’re coming here because they know New York will give them welfare," she told Fox News. "This is untraceable free money being handed out to people who don’t belong here in the first place."
Paladino's comments add to the growing backlash over the controversial program, which got underway last week with about 115 families getting their pre-loaded debit cards in the initial round of disbursements.
