Florida's 'Shane Jones Act': Suing Governments Over Migrant Crime

The 'Shane Jones Act'

• ⚖️ State Representative Bernie Jacques is introducing the 'Shane Jones Act' in Florida, aiming to hold local governments accountable for crimes committed by undocumented migrants.
• 🕊️ The bill is named in honor of Shane Jones, an Air Force veteran and father of four, who was killed in a 2019 motorcycle accident involving an undocumented migrant driving without a license and under the influence.

Holding Governments Accountable

• 🏛️ The legislation seeks to penalize governmental entities that fail to cooperate with immigration officials or enforce immigration laws.
• 💰 Proceeds from fines levied against these entities will be used to compensate victims of crimes committed by undocumented migrants.
• 🚨 It establishes a cause of action allowing victims' families to seek justice in court against government bodies that fail to enforce immigration laws.

Victim's Perspective

• 💔 Nikki Jones, Shane Jones' widow, shared the devastating impact of her husband's death, highlighting the difficulty of being a single mother and the fear of losing her home.
• ⚠️ She noted that the individual responsible for her husband's death had prior contact with law enforcement but was repeatedly released, leading to further offenses.
• 🏠 Jones emphasized that the crime was 100% preventable and that compensation would have significantly eased her financial and emotional burden.

Deterrence and Justice

• 🚫 The act is intended as a strong deterrent against policies like 'catch and release' and to ensure that agencies do not violate immigration laws.
• 🧑‍⚖️ If the bill becomes law, families could sue the governmental entity responsible for failing to enforce immigration laws, with a jury determining an amount to make the family whole.
• 🩹 The scope of accountability would cover a range of offenses, from minor traffic violations to loss of life, holding governments responsible for the pain and suffering caused.