New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s government-run grocery stores have hit another obstacle — and critics have been merciless.
Mamdani and his administration are now walking back a proposal that appeared to require shoppers to verify their eligibility for discounted groceries at city-run grocery stores.
‘There will be no system to verify identity, residency, or income, and no one will be asked to show ID to shop.’
The announcement came shortly after prominent conservative figures blasted the mayor over his apparent hypocrisy on identification requirements.
During a press conference last week, Mamdani announced that the city’s five government-run grocery stores would offer “a collection of essential staples” at prices “30% cheaper” than typical retail rates.
When a reporter pressed Mamdani on how the city would stop opportunists from buying up the taxpayer-subsidized groceries in bulk and flipping them for a profit, a top administration official suggested requiring shoppers to prove they are “everyday New Yorkers.”
New York City Economic Development Corporation Interim President and CEO Jeanny Pak did not specify how shoppers would verify their eligibility, though she floated the idea of a “library card-esque” system, suggesting some form of identification or residency verification may have been required to access the store.
President Donald Trump and his allies blasted Mamdani over his double standard — pointing to the mayor and his fellow Democrats’ opposition to voter ID requirements.
During a press conference Monday, a reporter asked Trump about Mamdani’s proposal and the president’s message for Democrats who oppose the SAVE America Act.
“This was just announced. I heard about it,” Trump said. “Well, I wish they’d have an ID to access the voting booth. You know, they don’t want to access the voting booth with any identification. We want voter ID, and we want proof of citizenship.”
RELATED: Immigrant business owners revolt against Mamdani’s ‘Soviet’-style grocery plan
Elon Musk wrote on X, “Oh, the irony is too much ….”
Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), an advocate for the SAVE America Act, slammed Democrats on their “hypocrisy.”
“DEMOCRATS: Are fighting to ensure you don’t have to show an ID before voting in our elections. ALSO DEMOCRATS: Want you to show an ID before entering a supermarket.”
Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) chimed in, writing, “So ID for government grocery stores to stop people abusing the system is fine … but requiring ID to vote not?”
Trump also referenced a separate controversy involving the mayor’s emergency snow-shoveling program, which required paid shovelers to provide “two original forms of ID” and a Social Security number to register — another policy that critics claimed represented a double standard on identification requirements.
In light of the intense backlash, Mamdani spokesperson Cassio Mendoza refuted the claims circulating online.
“Comparisons to voter ID laws or the SAVE Act simply do not apply. This is not an identification system, nor is it a mechanism to verify who someone is, where they live, or how much they earn. It is a practical inventory management tool to ensure affordable groceries remain available for the people who need them instead of being cleared off shelves for resale,” Mendoza said.
“To be absolutely clear: NYC grocery stores will be open to everyone. There will be no system to verify identity, residency, or income, and no one will be asked to show ID to shop,” he added.
A Mamdani spokesperson told Fox News that, in lieu of an ID program, the store could employ a privately designed “customer card” as seen in comparable loyalty programs at private grocery stores. This alternative would ostensibly protect the stores from concerns such as bulk purchases without requiring identification to shop.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
Read the full article here
