Taxpayer money used by Massachusetts welfare recipients for vacations in Hawaii and other destinations.

A recent investigation by The Boston Herald revealed that welfare recipients in Massachusetts used taxpayer money to travel to tropical vacation destinations and distant states, despite being thousands of miles away from New England.

In Fiscal Year 2024, over $3 billion in federal and state dollars were given out to EBT card recipients in several states, including Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, California, Florida, Alaska, and several other locations across the country.

This year, in Hawaii, there were 32 charges on EBT cards, with the largest expenditure amounting to $378 in March on the island of Maui, according to a report.

In addition to Hilo, EBT money was also spent in other popular tourist destinations in Hawaii, including Honolulu, Pearl City, Princeville, Waikoloa, and Captain Cook.

In every state in the U.S., including California and Florida, Massachusetts' EBT dollars were spent.

This year, in addition to the Virgin Islands, over a dozen expenditures were recorded in Alaska, including a $395 charge in Anchorage.

Republican state Senator Ryan Fattman described the report's results as "madness and the government at its worst."

"This is senseless and represents the worst of government," he said to The Herald. "What on earth is going on in Hawaii? We need this money to help feed families," he exclaimed. "This indicates a significant issue with the system."

EBT funds have limitations on their usage, including prohibiting their purchase of alcohol, firearms or ammunition, pornography, recreational marijuana, and gambling or lottery tickets.

The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance stated that usage while traveling must be approved, otherwise benefits may be terminated.

According to a statement from the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA), individuals who receive public assistance through the DTA use their benefits to meet their basic needs and must have an annual income that is at least 200% below the federal poverty level. The DTA regulates what can be purchased with benefits and where purchases can be made, and any out-of-state usage beyond approved temporary absences can result in an individual no longer receiving assistance due to not meeting Massachusetts residency requirements.

In the past three fiscal years, over $11 billion in food and economic assistance has been provided to eligible residents, according to the Herald report.

Since 2021, an estimated 50,000 illegal immigrants have flocked to Massachusetts, which is a sanctuary state and offers welfare programs to migrants.

Over the next two years, the state's migrant crisis is projected to cost taxpayers $1.8 billion, according to a recent report from The Center for Immigration Studies.

Despite federal restrictions, migrants can still receive food stamps, TANF, Medicaid, and other public services.

Planet Chronicle' Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.