The Controversy Began After Right-leaning Figures, Including Barstool Sports Founder Dave Portnoy

New York City officials say no ID is required to use the mayor's planned low-price grocery stores, pushing back against conservative claims that the stores would require identification. Mayor Zohran Mamdani's press secretary Joe Calvello wrote on X that "NYC Grocery stores will be open to everyone" with no system to verify identity, residency, or income. The controversy began after right-leaning figures, including Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and Sen.

Rick Scott, latched onto a clip where Mamdani detailed his plan to open five city-owned stores offering 30 percent off essential groceries across the five boroughs starting in 2027. Elon Musk also weighed in, though The Washington Post reported he allegedly worked in the U.S. illegally on a student visa early in his career, a claim Musk denies. The SAVE America Act, backed by the Trump administration, would require documentary proof of citizenship to register and photo ID on voting day, with experts estimating it could stop millions from voting. Voting as a non-citizen is already illegal, and the Bipartisan Policy Center found no evidence that noncitizen voting has ever significantly impacted an election outcome.