A Jackson Hewitt employee in New York City was caught on video encouraging illegal immigrants to file tax returns to claim refunds, even if they haven’t been working, according to a report by journalist Savanah Hernandez.

Hernandez discovered the activity outside the Roosevelt Hotel, a converted migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan that has been dubbed “the new Ellis Island.” While reporting at the site, she came across a Jackson Hewitt table distributing Spanish-language flyers that read, “Working or not, file your taxes and we can get the maximum refund for your family.”

🚨 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

One of the flyers detailed potential refund amounts, showing that individuals could claim $7,650 for one child, $12,635 for two, and over $14,000 for three children. The employee reportedly confirmed that similar services were being offered at multiple shelters across the city.

When Hernandez, a contributor for Turning Point USA, identified herself as a journalist, the employee took back the flyer. Another worker confirmed on video that the company was assisting migrants with tax filings, even those not employed.

The Roosevelt Hotel has served as a major intake and housing facility for migrants since the summer of 2022. It stopped operating as a hotel during the pandemic and was repurposed by the city to handle the surge in illegal immigration. Mayor Eric Adams recently announced it will shut down as a shelter in June.

Although the Roosevelt is set to close, New York City continues to expand housing for migrants. A newly opened shelter in the Bronx provides 2,200 beds exclusively for single adult men, according to Hernandez.

Elon Musk, who now heads the Department of Government Efficiency, responded to the video by warning that such IRS refund schemes are being used to lure illegal immigrants and lock in long-term political control. He accused Democrats of backing these practices to maintain dominance, pointing to California as an example.

New York City has already spent $7 billion managing the migrant crisis since 2022, much of it on housing, healthcare and services for the growing population of new arrivals.