Texas Governor Issues Threat and Reveals the “Punishment” for New Yorkers Moving to Texas

• Greg Abbott’s Threat to New Yorkers
• Controversy Over Migration Tax
• Texas Leads U.S. Internal Migration

According to EFE News, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ignited a new national controversy after warning that he would impose a “100% tax” on New Yorkers moving to his state.

The comment, posted Monday on his official X account (formerly Twitter), comes amid political tension surrounding New York’s mayoral election, where socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani’s rise has triggered strong reactions from the American right.

Abbott, a close ally of President Donald Trump, wrote: “After the polls close, Texas will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving from New York.”

Although it’s unclear whether the statement was literal or a political provocation, it quickly fueled debate over internal migration and ideological polarization.

Controversy Over Greg Abbott’s Threat

The governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, threatens to impose a tax on New Yorkers moving to the southern state. https://t.co/u6bgEyRs0B

— EFE Noticias (@EFEnoticias) November 3, 2025

The governor offered no details on how such a “tariff” would be implemented or what form of levy it might take against those choosing to relocate to Texas.

He also did not clarify whether it would be a legal, administrative, or symbolic measure intended to reinforce his conservative stance.

Still, the post went viral and was celebrated by Trump-aligned commentators, who saw it as a stand against what they call the “export of progressive policies” from liberal states to Republican strongholds.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders denounced the post as an “act of political hostility,” reminding Abbott that the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of movement between states.

Texas and the Surge of Internal Migration

After the polls close tomorrow night, I will impose a 100% tariff on anyone moving to Texas from NYC.

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 3, 2025

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Texas currently ranks first nationwide in net domestic migration.

In 2024, about 612,000 people moved to Texas, attracted by its economic growth, affordable living costs, and favorable tax policies — including no state income tax.

In contrast, roughly 478,000 residents left Texas during the same period, mostly for other southern and western states.

Official 2023 data already showed a clear trend: California, New York, and Florida were the main states sending new residents to Texas — a phenomenon that has intensified since the pandemic and the post-COVID economic crisis.

Greg Abbott’s Conservative Political Strategy

Abbott’s warning comes just as New York’s municipal elections capture national attention.

Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, a Ugandan-born socialist and current state assemblyman, leads in the polls after winning the Democratic primary.

His rise has been viewed by Republicans as a symbol of the “radical progressive wave” in major cities — a narrative used by conservatives in states like Texas and Florida to galvanize their base.

For many analysts, Abbott’s message was a political gesture aimed at energizing his Republican supporters and maintaining visibility within Trump’s conservative circle ahead of 2026.

National Reactions and Online Debate

Abbott’s post sparked an immediate flood of reactions on social media, where thousands debated whether it was a serious threat or a political tactic.

While Republican supporters applauded his “strong stance” against liberal states, critics and legal experts dismissed the claim as a distraction from Texas’s internal problems.

The governor has not commented further, but the post remains online — fueling speculation that he may be using the controversy as part of his political messaging ahead of the next election cycle.

The Greg Abbott New York tax debate underscores the deepening divide between conservative and liberal states — and how political rhetoric around migration is increasingly being used as ammunition in America’s culture wars.