For Immediate Release: Wednesday, April 2, 2024
Contact: Office of Communications, Communications@MyFloridaCFO.com, 850.413.2842

CFO Jimmy Patronis Statement on Visit to Eagle Pass, Texas

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EAGLE PASS, TX. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis released the following statement following his visit to the U.S. Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas. CFO Patronis assessed U.S. border security and support efforts by the Florida Guard, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Florida Highway Patrol.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “Today, I saw with my own eyes the Florida assets that are at Eagle Pass, Texas and I couldn’t be more proud of these men and women. The border crisis is a man made crisis. The Biden Administration has dismantled the deterrence measures that kept people from crossing the border. Biden’s indifference to the border is bankrolling the drug cartels, it’s poisoning our children with fentanyl, and it’s facilitating greater amounts of human trafficking. Through our various emergency agreements, Florida is providing critical personnel to support Texas, and our counterparts in Texas are thankful for it. Florida is a force-multiplier. At every engagement with an illegal immigrant, they’re putting their lives at risk, but as one official told me, it’s better when two patrol cars respond to a dangerous event, than one. Let’s not be naive either. When these folks cross the border, they don’t just stay in Texas. They’re coming to Florida, and many of them have dangerous intentions. Governor DeSantis deserves much praise for deploying these assets, and as the guy who controls the checkbook, I’ll continue supporting this mission.”