Gov. Greg Abbott says he’ll put a tariff on New Yorkers moving to Texas. Can he?
Gov. Greg Abbott caused a stir on social media Monday, Nov. 3 after saying he’d impose a “100 percent tariff” on New Yorkers moving to Texas once election polls close.
The post quickly gained traction, drawing more than 17 million views, 126,000 likes and nearly 13,000 comments by Tuesday afternoon.
Abbott made the comment on the eve of New York City’s mayoral election, where Democrat Zohran Mamdani is the frontrunner.
Mamdani, who’s focused his campaign on affordability and rent control, has faced pushback from conservatives, including Abbott and President Donald Trump.
Abbott didn’t say whether he was joking, but his post left many people online asking the same thing: Can a governor even do that?
Here’s what to know.
Can Abbott legally impose a tariff on people moving to Texas?
No. Tariffs are taxes on goods, not people. Governors don’t have the authority to tax or penalize people moving from one state to another.
Under the U.S. Constitution, only Congress can regulate trade between states through what’s called the Commerce Clause.
It gives the federal government, not individual states, the power to control interstate commerce.
That means no state can create its own tariff or tax that interferes with that system.
There’s also the Privileges and Immunities Clause in Article IV of the Constitution, which guarantees that all U.S. citizens share the same rights no matter what state they live in.
States can’t single out newcomers with special taxes or restrictions.
Finally, the Supreme Court has long recognized Americans’ constitutional right to travel freely and live wherever they choose.
What are people saying online?
Reactions were mixed.
Political commentator Ed Krassenstein called Abbott’s comment “illegal,” saying it showed how the GOP had “become the party of violating the Constitution.”
Texas Republican congressional candidate Valentina Gomez urged Abbott to focus on lowering property taxes instead, while some MAGA supporters praised the post.
Influencer Gunther Eagleman wrote, “Good! Now abolish property taxes for us that live here.”
Others, like Students for Trump co-founder Ryan Fournier, said Abbott was joking “but not wrong,” adding that people should “stop fleeing liberal cities just to vote the same way you did there.”
What does this mean for New Yorkers thinking about moving to Texas?
There’s no need to worry. Abbott’s proposed “tariff” isn’t legally possible, and no one moving from New York or any other state would have to pay extra fees to relocate.
Legal experts say the Constitution was designed to prevent states from creating barriers that divide the country’s economy or limit free movement between states.
So while Abbott’s post got plenty of laughs and reactions online, New Yorkers packing for Texas can rest easy. The move won’t come with a tariff.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 5:09 PM.
