New York City is providing allowances and gift cards to help migrants get permanent housing and move out of city-run shelters, Fox News Digital reported Saturday.
The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) provided 150 families with $4,000 each for housing costs, as well as gift cards of up to $1,000 for essentials and moving expenses through the Asylee Moveout Assistance (AMA) program. According to to Fox News Digital. The AMA program pilot was launched in December 2023 in partnership with a city shelter that houses asylum seekers. (Related: Report: Estimates suggest roughly 75% of people arrested in Midtown Manhattan are immigrants)
“The City is taking every step to implement innovative, cost-effective solutions to help recently arrived asylum seekers living in shelters take the next step,” a Department of Social Services (DSS) spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Since December, DSS has been working with several non-profit providers who operate emergency hubs to pilot a new initiative to reduce barriers to housing by supporting asylum seeker families who find permanent housing by covering the costs of moving into their new homes.”
According to Fox News Digital, eligible migrants must be asylum seekers or pregnant women residing in a Department of Homeland Security-designated shelter and have secured permanent housing. The $4,000 can cover security deposits, moving costs, first and last month's rent, and basic necessities.
Mayor Eric Adams speaks to the media with staff at New York City City Hall on July 30, 2024. New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has announced he will join former Comptroller Scott Stringer and State Senator Zellnor Miley in challenging Adams in the 2025 primary election. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
“This is a very small-scale pilot effort that will only be available to families seeking refuge in specific emergency shelters operated by the Department of Homeland Security,” a Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “This is not a citywide effort and is not available to migrant families living throughout the shelter system.”
Migrants who return to shelters are not eligible to receive the payments again, according to Fox News Digital. The program is funded from existing funds within DSS and no city funds are being used, a DSS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
At least 201,200 migrants have arrived in New York City since spring 2022, with more than 65,000 of them in the city's custody, ABC7 reported. Reported New York City spent $4.6 billion on the project in June, a city spokesman told the outlet.
DHS did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation's request for comment.
As an independent, nonpartisan news service, all content produced by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available free of charge to any legitimate news publisher with a large readership. All republished articles must include our logo, reporter byline, and affiliation with the DCNF. If you have any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact us at licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
