A Jackson Hewitt employee was recorded confirming the company helps migrants file for tax refunds, even if they haven’t held jobs. The incident took place at a table outside the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, a shelter currently used to house illegal immigrants.
The flyer distributed at the table was printed in Spanish and promoted refunds for families with children — regardless of employment. It listed refund totals as high as $14,255 for three children. Independent journalist Savanah Hernandez captured video of the encounter and shared it online.
🚨 BREAKING: Employees of Jackson-Hewitt, a tax services company, were handing out flyers to illegal immigrants lined up outside of the Roosevelt Hotel in NYC, which is famous for housing migrants on the taxpayer's dime.
The flyer indicates that illegal immigrants can get up to… pic.twitter.com/w56w7oZ1BN
— FRONTLINES (@FrontlinesTPUSA) March 29, 2025
According to Hernandez, the employee took the flyer back once it became clear she was a reporter. Another person at the same table said the company was offering the same services at other migrant shelters throughout the city.
The hotel where the table was set up has served as a central migrant processing center since it was repurposed during the recent surge in border crossings. It was closed in 2020 during the pandemic and never reopened to the public as a hotel.
Following the footage, Elon Musk — who heads the Department of Government Efficiency — posted a response calling the practice part of a larger strategy by Democrats to attract and retain illegal immigrants in the U.S.
Musk said IRS refund abuse is draining American resources and helping establish permanent political control. His department has raised concerns about fraudulent filings becoming more widespread during tax season.
The Adams administration recently announced that the Roosevelt Hotel shelter will close this June. Still, new shelters continue to open, including a large facility in the Bronx designed to house 2,200 single men.
