TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Rep. Berny Jacques warned that fraud schemes like those uncovered in Minnesota could threaten any state, including Florida, and pledged to push legislation cracking down on immigration-related abuses during the upcoming legislative session.
During a interview Tuesday on Florida’s Voice Radio with Drew Steele, Jacques, a Republican representing District 59 in the Tampa area, praised citizen journalist Nick Shirley for exposing what he called widespread fraud in Minnesota involving Somali immigrants and federal funds. Jacques described Shirley’s work as “the Lord’s work” and urged protection for such investigators.
“Things like this fraud that we’re seeing in Minnesota can happen anywhere, and it’s up to us as policymakers to make sure that that never happens here in the state of Florida,” Jacques said. “I’m committed to making sure that is not the case so we can be vigilant against fraud all day, every day.”
Jacques contrasted Florida’s approach with Minnesota’s, crediting Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Republican supermajority in the Legislature for respecting the rule of law and acting as a deterrent to fraudsters.
“We crack down on it. When we do suspect something is happening, we investigate and we look into it,” he said. “And when you do that, you actually send a strong message. It’s a deterrent message that don’t even try it here in the state of Florida, because you know you will be pursued.”
With the legislative session set to begin Jan. 13, Jacques highlighted his priorities, including a bill aimed at marriage fraud in immigration cases. House Bill 485, co-sponsored with Democratic Rep. Kimberly Daniels of Jacksonville, would classify marriage fraud as grounds for a protective injunction against domestic abusers. If granted, the injunction would trigger a notification within 24 hours to the State Board of Immigration Enforcement.
“A lot of folks are getting entry into our country by fraudulently, you know, putting marriages out there that aren’t real marriages, and then they end up being domestic abusers and so forth,” Jacques said.
Jacques, first elected in 2022, has focused on conservative priorities such as border security and fiscal accountability. The interview comes amid national debates over immigration enforcement and election integrity heading into the new year.