Massachusetts welfare recipients spent taxpayer funds in Hawaii, other vacation destinations

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Welfare recipients in Massachusetts spent taxpayer dollars while traveling to tropical vacation destinations and in states located thousands of miles away from New England, according to a new investigation by The Boston Herald.

Public records requested by the Herald showed taxpayer-funded EBT cards were used in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, California, Florida, Alaska, and in several other locations across the country. Over $3 billion federal and state dollars were doled out to recipients in the blue state in Fiscal Year 2024.

In Hawaii, there were 32 charges on EBT cards this year, with the largest expenditure amounting to $378 in March on the island of Maui, the report said.

Three hundred fifty-one dollars more was spent in Hilo, another popular tourist destination in Hawaii, known for its beautiful waterfalls and lush rainforests. According to public records, EBT money was also spent in Honolulu, Pearl City, Princeville, Waikoloa, and Captain Cook.

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Maui, Hawaii, was one location where Massachusetts' EBT dollars were used, a new investigation found. (AP Photo/MVB, Ron Dahlquist)

That's not all. Massachusetts' EBT dollars were spent in virtually every state in the U.S., including 165 cities and towns in California and in 293 locations in Florida, the report said.

Over a dozen expenditures were also recorded in the Virgin Islands and in Alaska this year, which included a $395 charge in Anchorage.

Republican state Sen. Ryan Fattman called the report's findings, "insanity and government at its worst."

"This makes no sense. It’s insanity and government at its worst," he told The Herald. "What the hell is someone doing in Hawaii? We need this money to help feed families," he said. "This tells me there’s a major problem with this system."

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Massachusetts' EBT funds were spent thousands of miles away from New England, a new report says. (iStock)

There are restrictions on what the EBT funds can be used for. They cannot be used to purchase alcohol, firearms or ammunition, pornography, recreational marijuana or for gambling or lottery tickets, among other restrictions.

Usage while traveling must also be approved, the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance said. Failure to do so may result in benefits being terminated.

"Individuals receiving public assistance through the Department of Transitional Assistance use these benefits to meet their most basic needs and qualify by having an annual income that is at least 200 percent below the federal poverty level. State and federal laws regulate what can be purchased with benefits and where purchases can be made, and any out-of-state usage beyond approved temporary absences can result in an individual no longer receiving assistance due to not meeting Massachusetts residency requirements," The DTA said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Over $11 billion in food and economic assistance has been given to qualifying residents in the past three fiscal years, the Herald report said. 

Migrants sleeping on the floor at Logan Airport have been told to leave (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Massachusetts is a sanctuary state and allows migrants access to these welfare programs. An estimated 50,000 illegal immigrants have flocked to the state since 2021.

A recent report from The Center for Immigration Studies projected that the state's migrant crisis would cost taxpayers $1.8 billion over the next two years. 

Migrants are eligible for food stamps provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Medicaid, and other public services. Migrants can access these programs even while the federal government prohibits access to such programs.

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Fox News' Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.