The lower house of Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to provide asylum seekers and migrants in Germany with social benefits via a payment card instead of cash in the future.
Lawmakers who backed the change argued it would prevent migrants from using benefits to pay smugglers, or else transfer money back to family in their home countries. Some contended that migrants have been drawn to Germany because of the social benefits.
"The payment card can be used to pay for everyday goods and services, as well as groceries in the supermarket, a visit to the hairdresser or a ticket for public transit," said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a Social Democrat.
Faeser, however, said the cards would provide only very limited ability to withdraw cash - and would not allow money to be transferred abroad.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the leaders of Germany's 16 federal states agreed on the introduction of the card on November 6.
The law passed by the Bundestag on Friday will allow local authorities in each state to decide how much cash cardholders will be able to withdraw.
The law also simplifies some data privacy regulations to allow immigration and social welfare agencies to exchange data.
Germany's police union (GdP) argued against being too restrictive and setting limits on how much cash asylum seekers can access too low.
Many are under intense pressure to send money home or make payments to smugglers, the GdP's Jochen Kopelke argued, and without moderation there's a risk that more might turn to criminal activity if they can't access any cash from social benefits.
The conservative opposition CDU/CSU bloc had demanded a monthly limit for cash withdrawals of just €50 ($53), and voted against the law on Friday.
