[New York Diary] Free Meals for Immigrants and the 'Angry Trump'

"Not only do immigrants get free meals, but now they even receive prepaid cards to cover food expenses. And it's with the taxes I pay. Why has New York become like this?"

A New Yorker I recently met brought up the topic of meal support for immigration applicants and could hardly contain his frustration. He seemed very dissatisfied with the immigrant food assistance program introduced by New York City. Based on what I heard from him and local media reports, the situation is as follows. The city currently provides immigrants with free meals worth $11 per meal in addition to shelter. However, immigrants from various regions such as Latin America and Africa have complained that the meals do not suit their tastes and have continuously demanded cash support. In response, the city decided to provide prepaid cards instead of free meals so that immigrants can purchase groceries directly at supermarkets or convenience stores. Initially, $53 million will be invested to pilot the program for 500 immigrant families, with plans to expand it to about 15,000 people in the future.

This New Yorker, who has lived in New York for about 15 years, raised his voice saying, "I don't want my taxes to be used to give cash to immigrants who complain about the taste of the food," and added, "I regret electing Eric Adams as New York's mayor."

The city also has reasons to justify this. First, cash support costs less than free meals. The city provides prepaid cards worth about $1,000 per month to a family of four, and the total daily food cost for four people is $33. Even if the city provides one free meal a day, it would cost $44 for four people, so supporting with prepaid cards can save the budget. The city expects that this pilot program will reduce expenditures by $600,000 per month and more than $7.2 million annually.

It can also reduce food waste. According to a New York Times (NYT) report at the end of last year, the city provides free meals to undocumented immigrants through a company called Dakgo, and from October 22 to November 10 last year, more than 70,000 meals were discarded. Considering that each meal costs $11, New Yorkers bore the cost of $776,000 for wasted meals over 20 days, which amounts to $39,000 per day.

However, many New Yorkers think differently from the city authorities. They are displeased not only with free meal support that ends up in the trash but also with the idea of giving cash directly to immigrants, and their patience is reaching its limit. According to a 1981 court ruling, New York City also provides free shelter to immigrants. As a result, about 156,600 immigrants, accounting for 2% of the city's population (8.1 million), have arrived in New York City over approximately two years from spring 2022 to the end of 2023. It is truly a 'paradise for immigrants.' I recently had a conversation on a similar topic with a Korean taxi driver I met in New York. He is a U.S. permanent resident living in Queens, New York, and said, "I also immigrated, but I live legally and pay taxes," adding, "I don't want to support the undocumented immigrants flooding into New York with my taxes. I support Trump, who is tough on immigration." The somewhat radical policy stance of former President Donald Trump, including pledges to immediately deport millions of undocumented immigrants if re-elected, is considered quite reasonable by many Americans dissatisfied with immigration issues.

Immigration has emerged as the biggest issue in the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November. According to a CBS poll released in December last year, 60% of respondents said the government should adopt tougher policies toward undocumented immigrants. President Joe Biden, feeling the urgency, requested Congress to strengthen his authority to close the border. Although he shifted from a previously lenient immigration policy stance, the Republican Party is currently not cooperating with the bill's passage, as they see no need to boost Biden's approval ratings.

The New Yorker who was outraged over the immigrant meal issue said, "There are many 'Shy Trumps' here." He introduced himself as a Shy Trump as well. However, by vocally expressing his concerns about undocumented immigration and openly supporting former President Trump, he was closer to an 'Angry Trump' than a Shy Trump. As dissatisfaction and concerns about undocumented immigration grow among Americans in connection with the presidential election, it remains to be seen what the outcome of the November election will be.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.