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In 2024, the government of New York City began a pilot program to provide migrant families with prepaid debit cards when they arrive in the city. These funds can only be spent on food or baby supplies and are intended to assist with transitioning to a new city and country.
This program is an attempt to address the needs of migrants, many of whom are children, while also reducing the growing cost to the city. If adopted, it will fully replace the current system that involves providing packages of food directly to these families.
Some people are concerned with the disparity between the support that is offered to these individuals compared to disabled veterans and their families. This concern is based on the fact that New York City has a limited amount of resources, and many people believe that spending them elsewhere is the appropriate outcome. A major issue is that, in some cases, the amount provided to migrants through this program exceeds the compensation VA provides to disabled veterans.
The Outcry of the Discrepancy
When NYC announced the program, the outcry on social media and among some elected officials was immediate. It was quickly noted that a family of four immigrants is likely to receive more in benefit payments than a four-person family that includes a disabled veteran. While a veteran with a 50 percent disability rating and a family of four will qualify for $1,255.16 each month, migrants enrolled in this program will receive $1,400. In fact, adding an additional child to the family of the hypothetical disabled veteran does not increase their payment to the same level as the NYC pilot program.
It is important to note that the benefits available to disabled veterans can vary dramatically based on their disability rating. For example, a family with a veteran whose disability is rated at 50 percent might receive less compared to this pilot program, but that is not the case for a disability rating of 100.
Nonetheless, many elected officials felt the NYC program was unjust. In an op-ed to the New York Post, Councilwoman Vickie Paladino took the city to task for providing resources to immigrants instead of spending the money on New York City residents. Similar complaints were raised online, pointing to the unreasonableness of awarding non-residents more support than wounded veterans.
The concerns over this program did not start with comparisons to VA disability benefits. In March 2024, Newsweek reported on the blowback from the pilot program providing a small number of migrant families with benefits that more than doubled what the government spends on food for welfare recipients in the city. On average, a family of four that qualifies for monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments will receive a little over $700 in payments intended for food. This is roughly half of what the pilot program pays for food in a month.
How New York’s Program Works
When announcing this pilot program, NYC Mayor Eric Adams stressed that the end result will be a roughly 20 percent reduction in costs for feeding migrant families who are awaiting decisions in their immigration cases and living in the city.
Currently, the City of New York provides migrant families with boxes of non-perishable food when staying in certain hotels within the city. These donations are designed to provide support and fight hunger, especially among families with small children.
The current scope of the program is small. Only a handful of families so far have been offered the debit cards, and they were required to sign an affidavit promising to only spend the money on food or baby supplies. Anyone using the money for unauthorized purchases will face removal from the program.
Since 2022, approximately 173,000 migrants have entered New York City’s intake system. During that time, the program for providing food baskets has cost the city millions of tax dollars to fund. According to Mayor Adams, transitioning to the debit card system is expected to save the city approximately $600,000 per month. That works out to more than $7.2 million per year.
In addition to cost savings, Mayor Adams highlighted the ability to provide customized support for families. For exam[[le, non-perishable food items will not always comply with a family’s religious beliefs. Allowing families to purchase their own groceries also reduces the risk of harmful food reactions or allergies.
Understanding Current VA Compensation Rates
It is helpful to understand how the VA assigns monthly benefits, given that two veterans with relatively similar service-connected conditions could be entitled to very different amounts each month. First, the VA assigns a disability rating. The higher the rating, the more benefits are paid out. A 10 percent rating is the lowest rate that will result in benefits, while a 100 percent rating means a person is fully disabled and, excluding VA’s award of a relatively rare benefit called special monthly compensation, entitled to the maximum recovery.
Whether or not a veteran has dependents can also impact the amount of benefits they receive on a monthly basis, but this factor will not always have an effect. For example, a veteran with a 10 or 20 percent disability rating will be entitled to recover the same amount whether or not they have any dependents.
That is not the case for disabilities rated at 30 percent or higher. A veteran with a disability rating in this range is entitled to additional benefits if they have a spouse, minor children, or dependent-parents, for example. In 2024, a veteran with a disability rated at 30 percent is entitled to $524.31 per month if they have no dependents. That figure went up to $686.31 if they have two dependent-parents and a spouse.
The amount paid each month is even greater when children are in the picture. There is a set amount that is paid each month per additional child under the age of 18. What’s more, a larger amount is available for children over the age of 18 who are in some kind of qualifying school program. These amounts increase as a veteran’s rating goes up.
It is worth noting that veterans with lower disability ratings are not considered to be fully disabled. These individuals are generally able to return to the workforce in some capacity. For that reason, the total household income for these veterans may be much higher than migrants who are reliant on this support.
How VA Ratings Work
When a veteran submits a claim to the VA for disability benefits, the decision makers will assign a rating for every condition the VA deems to be at least as likely as not related to service. This rating is used as the foundation for any monthly disability benefits. If you have more than one disability, your total or combined rating involves the addition of each of your service-connected disabilities. This process is more complex than simply adding up and combining each rating.
The VA uses multiple pieces of evidence when deciding a veteran’s claim. They will usually start with a review of your medical records and test results to get a picture of the extent of your injuries or illnesses. This might also include a nexus letter written by a medical professional linking the disability to service. This form of correspondence is intended to provide an opinion from a medical expert that supports your need for benefits.
Also important is the outcome of your compensation and pension exam. More commonly referred to as the C&P exam, this is an evaluation by a doctor working for the VA. The extent of these meetings can vary, with some being a short formality and others requiring a detailed examination.
It is possible to receive a disability rating for a condition you had prior to your service. While pre-existing conditions themselves are not covered, you might be entitled to benefits if that condition was worsened due to a service-related event. Any award of benefits in this scenario is made on the degree a condition was aggravated during your service, not the total extent of your injury or illness.
Was Your VA Claim Denied? Contact Gang & Associates Today
When living with a disabling condition, a veteran could use all the help they can get. Regardless of the nature of these citywide programs, there are federal laws designed to protect and uplift disabled veterans and their families for the rest of their lives. For many, receiving benefits from the federal government for a disability can become a life-changing event.
If you believe you are living with an injury or disease that was caused by your time in the military, it is possible that you are entitled to disability benefits through the VA. Getting a favorable outcome can be difficult, especially on your own. Contact us as soon as possible to learn how the team at Gang & Associates can help you with your VA disability benefits case.