New Bill Seeks to Provide Compensation for Victims of Crimes Committed by Undocumented Migrants

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In a recent legislative move, Florida State Representative Berny Jacques, a Republican from Seminole, introduced a new bill aimed at providing financial compensation to victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. The proposal, unveiled on Tuesday, is being referred to as the “Shane Jones Act.”

If enacted, the proposed House Bill 229 would mandate a $10,000 penalty on law enforcement agencies that do not adhere to existing state immigration laws. Specifically, these laws require local agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

The legislation stipulates that fines collected from non-compliant agencies would be directed towards compensating individuals who have been victims of crimes perpetrated by undocumented immigrants.

This proposal follows the enactment of Senate Bill 2C earlier this year, signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. That bill prohibits local law enforcement from obstructing or limiting the duties of federal immigration officers.

Additionally, the Florida Sheriff’s Association has confirmed that all 67 counties in Florida are now participating in the 287(g) program. This federal initiative enables local law enforcement agencies to engage in certain immigration enforcement activities.

According to Florida statute 908.11, only county sheriffs were required to sign onto the agreements, but the hundreds of cities and municipalities across the state are encouraged to do so.

The bill, also called the Shane Jones Act, is named after a man who was killed in a 2019 car crash that Jacques said was caused by “an illegal alien with numerous prior arrests for driving violations.”

Jones was an Air Force veteran and father of two, and his wife, Nikki Jones, said his death left their family in a difficult financial situation.

Nikki Jones started The Voice Foundation after his death. The foundation’s website says its mission is to “help provide assistance to the survivors of illegal alien crimes.”

The bill also creates an avenue for the estate of someone killed by a migrant to sue the local law enforcement or local government if they are found to violate statutes 908.11 or 908.103. Statute 908.103 prohibits all local government agencies and local law enforcement from enacting sanctuary policies.

The Florida legislature is not currently in session, so the legislation won’t be debated or voted on until lawmakers return in January. If it is passed, it would go into effect on July 1, 2026.