Overview
- Abbott wrote on X that “after the polls close tomorrow night” he would impose a “100% tariff” on anyone moving to Texas from New York City.
- The post arrived on the eve of New York City’s mayoral election, where Zohran Mamdani is reported as the frontrunner over Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.
- Coverage notes tariffs apply to goods and that the Constitution assigns such taxation to the federal government and protects a right to travel between states.
- Social media users mocked the idea and questioned its mechanics, with reporting pointing out that no state has anything like an exit or entry tax on individuals.
- Reporters situate Abbott’s remark within his recent culture-war agenda in Texas and alongside President Donald Trump’s suggestion of potential federal funding cuts if Mamdani prevails.