Welfare is typically handed out to families by the federal government who have experienced financial hardship. In Massachusetts, however, welfare recipients have spent taxpayer funds on lavish vacations to Hawaii, among other places.
Public records demonstrate that taxpayer-funded EBT cards were used in the following destinations: Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, California, Puerto Rico, Florida and Alaska, along with other locations, as reported by Fox News.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, more than $3 billion in taxpayer funds were given out to welfare recipients in Massachusetts.
Thus far, there have been 32 charges on EBT cards in Hawaii, with the largest amount — $378 — coming from the island of Maui, per Fox News.
In Hilo, Hawaii, a popular location among tourists known for its waterfalls and rainforests, $351 was charged on EBT cards.
The EBT funds were spent in nearly all U.S. states, including 165 cities and towns in California and nearly 300 places in Florida.
In response to the report, Florida state Sen. Ryan Fattman (R) said it was “insanity and government at its worst.”
Fattman said the allocation and distribution of the EBT funds was nonsensical.
“This makes no sense,” he said.
“It’s insanity and government at its worst. What the hell is someone doing in Hawaii? We need this money to help feed families. This tells me there’s a major problem with this system,” he added.
As Fox News pointed out, the government has restrictions on how EBT funds can be spent. For example, these funds cannot be used to purchase alcohol, firearms, ammunition, pornography, recreational marijuana or gambling.
The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance must approve the use of the funds during travel.
“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,” the department said in a statement.
“State and federal laws regulate what can be purchased with benefits and were purchases can be made, and any opt out-of-state usage beyond approved temporary absences can result in an individual no longer receiving assistance due to not meeting Massachusetts residency requirements,” it concluded.
Notably, Massachusetts, which is run by leftists, is a sanctuary state that welcomes illegal immigrants and provides them access to welfare programs, as Fox News reported.
The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) recently released a report forecasting that the state’s immigration crisis would cost residents nearly $2.8 billion over the next two years.
“The cost to Massachusetts taxpayers of temporary housing and shelters is enormous, but it pales in comparison to the costs that will accumulate in the future if those in the temporary shelters today remain in the Commonwealth for the long term,” CIS director of policy studies, Jessica Vaughn, said.
The report estimated that Massachusetts is currently home to about 355,000 illegal immigrants, with 50,000 arriving in the blue state since President Joe Biden took office. Many of the new arrivals speak little to no English and “lack the education or skills needed for an individual or family to be self-sufficient in Massachusetts.”
Source: Resistthemainstream
