Thousands of migrants in NY quietly collecting 'welfare' through Hochul rule change | 10 Feb 2024 | The Hochul administration is quietly using taxpayer dollars to gift cash payments to thousands of migrants who don't qualify for typical welfare assistance, The Post has learned. The cash windfall was made possible by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance modifying its "Safety Net Assistance" program's eligibility rules in May to include non-citizens with pending applications for legal asylum status. The announcement was made through an under-the-radar message the agency sent out to social services agencies across the state. The OTDA declined to reveal how many migrants have received SNA checks, but estimates that 90% of New York's current migrant population won't see additional benefits under the rule change.