A Massachusetts investigation found that welfare recipients in the state were using their EBT cards while traveling to tropical destinations, including Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, thousands of miles from home. Boston Herald Revealed.
Public records obtained by the outlet show dozens of EBT card spending in several popular vacation destinations, including California, Florida, Alaska and numerous vacation islands.
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The report found that federal and state governments spent $3 billion on taxpayer-paid EBT cards in Massachusetts in fiscal year 2024, while 32 charges were made in Hawaii, with the largest expenditure of $378 going to Maui in March.
Dozens of other purchases by welfare recipients were submitted from the Virgin Islands and across Alaska, including a $395 charge in Anchorage, a popular port for cruise ships.
In fact, blue-state EBT recipients are spending taxpayer money in nearly every state in the U.S., as well as throughout tourist destinations in Florida and California.
The Massachusetts Office of Transitional Assistance announced that use of the card while traveling requires approval. statement To Fox News:
Individuals receiving public assistance through the Office of Transitional Assistance qualify by using these benefits to meet their most basic needs and having an annual income at least 200 percent below the federal poverty level. State and federal laws regulate what can be purchased with benefits and where they can be purchased, and an individual may lose out on assistance if they use them outside the state beyond their approved temporary absence because they do not meet Massachusetts residency requirements.
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State Senator Ryan Fatman (R-Ill.) Boston HeraldThe report calls the shocking revelations “government insanity at its worst.”
“This makes absolutely no sense. It's insanity and the worst government,” he told the magazine. “What the hell is going on in Hawaii? I need this money to support my family. I know there's something seriously wrong with the system.”
In Massachusetts, a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants, immigrants can still receive government-funded welfare benefits.
“An estimated 50,000 illegal immigrants have flooded into the state since 2021,” Fox News reported.
