Jimmy Patronis, the chief financial officer for Florida, defended the state's new immigration laws that are to take effect in less than two weeks, telling Newsmax on Monday that the legislation is needed because the Biden administration has done nothing to protect the nation's borders.
Appearing on "John Bachman Now," Patronis acknowledged that some in the Florida business community are concerned that the new law will make it more difficult to find the necessary workers, but the problem is that the border is wide open.
"We are currently being invaded from our southern border [and] the current Biden administration is doing nothing about it," Patronis said.
He added that the Biden administration's failures in combating higher inflation and interest rates has compounded the financial challenges that have to be faced.
Among its provisions, the new legislation curtails social services for undocumented immigrants, allocates millions more tax dollars to expand the migrant relocation program of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, invalidates driver's licenses given to undocumented immigrants by other states, and makes it mandatory that hospitals which receive Medicaid dollars ask for a patient's immigration status, NPR reported.
The business community is also concerned about the various penalties for those who violate new employment mandates related to illegal immigrants.
Newsmax pointed out as well that critics say the legislation could result in some sectors of the economy losing as many as 10% of their workforce.
Patronis told Newsmax that Florida is currently in "the best economic shape we have ever been in the state's history" and due to that success - and as the population of the state grows steadily due to its accomplishments in becoming an attractive place to live, everyone in the business community in every sector is fighting to find enough workers.
Patronis also spoke about California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the fights he is picking with DeSantis.
He said that Newsom is only "trying to continue to raise his profile to be relevant," adding that although he "does not have the guts" to challenge President Joe Biden for the Democratic presidential nomination, he wants to be in the limelight.
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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