Yes, New York City gives migrants free one-way plane tickets in some cases

Amid a surge of migrants arriving in New York City over the past several years, a viral social media post shared in April claims the city is paying for their travel to other destinations.

This comes as Texas has bused tens of thousands of migrants to New York and other “sanctuary cities” since 2022. Sanctuary cities are generally defined as those that “limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, such as failing to provide information about immigration status and limiting the length of immigration detainers,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In the viral post shared on April 17, Savannah Hernandez, a reporter with the conservative organization Turning Point USA, claims signs posted around New York City are promoting free plane tickets for migrants. 

Those signs are posted in eight different languages and say, “Did you know? We can book you a ticket to travel anywhere outside New York City. No need to wait in line, just tell the front door staff you’d like to get a travel ticket,” the post claims. 

VERIFY reader Seth tagged us in the viral post to ask if New York City is giving migrants free one-way plane tickets. 

THE STORY

Does New York City give migrants free one-way plane tickets?

THE SOURCES

• Spokesperson for New York City Mayor Eric Adams
• Media availability with Mayor Adams on Oct. 31, 2023
• NYC311 website

THE ANSWER

Yes, New York City gives migrants free one-way plane tickets in some cases. 

Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts newsletter here. 

WHAT WE FOUND

New York City does offer migrants free one-way plane or bus tickets to other destinations. This service is called “reticketing” and is provided to migrants and asylum-seekers “who request to leave the city,” a spokesperson for Mayor Eric Adams confirmed to VERIFY. 

The reticketing service helps arrange travel outside of New York City from migrant hubs, including all Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers (HERRCs), respite centers, and the asylum-seeker arrival center at the Roosevelt Hotel, according to NYC311, a city website that provides information about government programs. HERRCs and respite centers are both types of shelters for asylum-seekers in New York City. 

“Since the spring of 2022, many migrants have arrived in our care and have said they never intended to come to NYC,” Adams’ spokesperson said. “Our reticketing program is offered to help get migrants to where they’re trying to go.”

During a media availability in October 2023, Adams said many migrants were “compelled” to come to New York City “by other localities,” including Texas. As of March 15, 2024, the state had transported nearly 40,000 migrants to New York City since August 2022, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said in a press release. 

Some migrants who arrived in New York have wanted to return to their country of origin, while others have wanted to go to another place in the U.S. where family members or loved ones live, Adams said. 

“And so what we did is create an option for people. Because if we give you a $200 ticket somewhere to go to a place where you have support, that is not having taxpayers pay for you to spend that same amount every night taking care of you,” he said during the media availability. 

From March 2022 to January 2024, New York City purchased 28,568 one-way tickets for migrants, Adams’ spokesperson said. The total cost of those efforts came out to nearly $7.6 million as of Nov. 30, 2023, they added. 

The top destinations for migrants through the end of January 2024 include New York state, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Minnesota, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, according to Adams’ spokesperson.

The city’s 311 website specifies that some travel options require someone to have a government-issued photo ID, adding that staff will help guide people through their travel options based on what type of documentation they have.