The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | February 6th, 2024: Wildfires Tear Through Chile & NYC Offers Migrants Prepaid Debit Cards

Episode Date: February 6, 2024

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:     Wildfires left communities across central Chile devastated over the weekend, with the current death toll estimated to be at least 122 people. New York City Mayor Eric Adams is facing criticism over a proposal to give prepaid debit cards to 500 migrant families for purchasing groceries. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin.     Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Get your day started right with a delicious cup of American-made Blackout Coffee. Family-owned, premium coffee, fresh-roasted, and shipped out within 48 hours of roasting. Go to blackout coffee.com, promo code PDB, for 20% off your first purchase. It's Tuesday, 6th February. Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. We'll begin this afternoon in South America with the tragic situation in Chile, where the death toll

from fast-moving wildfires has risen to at least 122 people. We'll also revisit Maui in the U.S. to look at recovery efforts after last year's devastating fires in and around Lahaina killed over 100 and left thousands homeless. Also ahead, New York City launches a controversial new program, distributing prepaid debit cards to recently arrived migrant families currently being sheltered in the city's hotels. It's a sanctuary city, so of course there will be prepaid debit cards. Just don't ask who's paying for it. But first, our afternoon spotlight. I want to turn our attention to the tragic situation in Chile, where massive wildfires tore through the country over the weekend. The fires

have left communities across central Chile devastated, with the current death toll estimated to be at least 122 people. Officials say hundreds of people remain missing and that the death toll will almost certainly rise as volunteers continue to search through the charred remains of their communities. The fires began Friday on the eastern edge of the city of Vina del Mar and burned throughout the weekend. Officials said it appeared the intensity of their fires was starting to diminish as of Monday. Officials also said the towns of Kilpe and Villa Almana in central Chile were also hit hard by the wildfires, destroying at least 3,000 homes. The Chilean president declared a state of emergency and said their defense ministry would deploy more military units to affected areas

to aid in the search and rescue efforts and to deliver much-needed resources. Meanwhile, the director of the Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service told CNN that there are currently 161 active fires across Chile. He said 102 of those fires, have been brought under control, but said there are still battling 40. He noted that another 19 fires remain under observation. Witnesses in Vina Del Mar, which has a population of roughly 300,000, said the fires moved quickly, jumping from nearby hills to neighborhoods in just minutes. One resident, who was forced to flee her home near Vina Del Mar, told the Guardian, quote, it's like a war zone as if a bomb went off. It burned like someone was throwing gasoline on the houses. I don't understand what

happened, they said. There was a lot of wind, a lot of wind and big balls of fire that would fly by, end quote. Now, the tragic situation conjures memories of the deadly fires in Maui, Hawaii last August that left more than 100 people dead and destroyed most of the Lahaina community. The fires, fueled by strong winds, move with similar speed, engulfing everything in its path. Identification of the victims unfolded over many months. The last victim, 70 years, old Lydia Coloma of Lahaina was only identified on January 27th of this year. The recovery continues to be slow for Maui, particularly for the roughly 12,000 residents displaced by the fires. More than 6,000 people who lost their homes still remain in hotels, and they fear they'll be

priced out of their own community as prices for the local housing market continue to rise. The Red Cross and other charities continue to provide food assistance to those. impacted by the fires, particularly to those still living in hotels without access to kitchens. Hawaii Governor Josh Green proposed a state budget in December that requests more than $425 million for the next fiscal year to cover relief efforts related to the devastating fires. The state legislature is currently considering some 50 proposals aimed at helping survivors, including financial assistance to people and businesses. Not to be facetious here, but maybe the residents of Lahaina could get more resources if they simply said they crossed the border illegally.

Governor Greene has estimated the cost of recovery at roughly $5 billion, though the federal government is expected to cover most of the expenses related to cleanup and emergency housing. We'll keep an eye on this story. As with many such tragedies, the initial crisis gets 24-7 media coverage, while the subsequent painful recovery and rebrand. building never makes the news. All right, coming up after the break, New York City Mayor Eric Adams is coming under fire after the Big Apple launches a program to give millions in prepaid debit cards to hundreds of illegal migrants living in the city. I find it hard to believe that that could upset any of the residents of New York. I'll be right back. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. The New York City government is launching a controversial new program to address

its ongoing migrant crisis. According to reporting by the New York Post, the city is distributing prepaid debit cards to migrant families currently being sheltered in the city's hotels. Now, this $53 million pilot program, managed by the New Jersey-based Mobility Capital Finance Company, aims to provide incoming asylum seekers at the Roosevelt Hotel with city funds to purchase food, effectively replacing the current food service offerings. This initiative will initially be offered to 500 migrant families and short-term hotel accommodations. The amount loaded onto each card will be tailored to family size and income

with a family of four potentially receiving close to $1,000 each month, breaking down to about $35 per day for food expenses. The prepaid cards will be reloaded with cash every 28 days. Now, there are some strings attached to the cards to make sure they're being used for essentials. They're only valid at bodegas, grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. And recipients must also sign an affidavit, promising to spend the funds solely on food and baby supplies under penalty of expulsion from the program. Let me just repeat that. The recipients have to sign a piece of paper saying they'll just spend the money on food and baby supplies.

So that should do it. According to Mayor Eric Adams, the program should save New York City around $600,000 monthly or $7.2 million a year by cutting down on unwanted meals, and that definitely sounds like one of those new math problems. As you can expect, not all feedback has been positive. The program immediately sparked criticism from border hawks, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Speaking to Fox News, Abbott said the program, quote, sounds like insanity, and he decry a lot. as one of the most reprehensible actions he's observed in recent days. The announcement of the program even drew criticism from Rapper 50 Cent.

Well, I didn't see that coming. The artist took to Instagram on Saturday to slam the scheme and suggested Donald Trump may be the answer to the city's problems. Here's a thought. This is a pilot program costing 53 million clams. Now, that's not a small amount. And when they say pilot program, they mean, well, it's here. to stay, so the cost will just keep growing. So first, what was the bidding process to award the

contract to the company chosen to run the program, this mobility capital finance, and what are they making out of the deal? And then, what measures are being taken to avoid fraud in the program? I'm hopeful that some enterprising journalist in New York City will raise those questions at the mayor's next press conference. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin. for Tuesday, 6th January. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. I'm Mike Baker.

I'll be back tomorrow. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.