Stimulus Debit Cards Unusable For Prison Inmates In At Least Four States

WASHINGTON, DC –

Like other Americans, inmates and their families are struggling financially. CARES Act stimulus payments for inmates, which were granted after a legal challenge, help offset the myriad expenses inmates are responsible for, like telephone calls or medical needs.

The first payments were by check, but state prisons have been unable to process the second round of stimulus payments because the IRS distributed the money using debit cards.

Corrections Departments in Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico and New York all report receiving the cards for inmates who qualify CARES Act payments. The states have communicated the problem to the IRS, but it’s unclear what steps the federal agency will take to fix it.