Floridians in place

The two Florida political leaders named to Cabinet-level positions in President Donald Trump’s administration are both officially on the job. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pam Bondi have been central to Washington’s biggest news stories since then.

Bondi, a former Florida Attorney General, was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday evening and sworn in the following day.

Bondi immediately launched working groups to scrutinize the “weaponization” of government, including examining the case Special Counsel Jack Smith brought against Trump in federal court over classified documents and his role in the events leading to the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

In a memo, Bondi wrote that she wanted to scrutinize “improper investigative tactics and unethical prosecutions” as part of an investigation of the 2021 insurrection, according to The New York Times. Trump notably pardoned everyone convicted of crimes in that riot on his first day in office.

Bondi also ordered the end of an investigative effort to combat influence campaigns by China, Russia and other hostile foreign powers and disbanded a task force whose duties included seizing the assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs, according to The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, freezing all foreign aid delivered through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) prompted protests throughout the week. Rubio, meanwhile, told the press he had become the acting director of USAID and said the funding stop this week is part of a review of the use of all foreign relations resources.

“Again, our goal was to go in and align our foreign aid to the national interest,” Rubio told NBC News. “But if you go to mission after mission and embassy after embassy around the world, you will often find that, in many cases, USAID is involved in programs that run counter to what we’re trying to do in our national strategy.”

Conflicting reports also suggest Rubio was assigned to direct the National Archives, though the result of this personnel shift remains unclear.

Disaster transparency

The Small Business Administration, as a matter of practice, has publicly released monthly reports on Disaster Loan Accounts since 2015. Sen Rick Scott wants to see that codified in federal statute.

The Naples Republican filed the SBA Disaster Transparency Act, which requires regular reporting on loans to businesses in disaster-struck areas.

“The American people have every right to know where their tax dollars are being spent and hold their government accountable,” Scott said. “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce the SBA Disaster Transparency Act to bring more transparency to the federal government.”

Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, led the bill, which had bipartisan co-sponsors, including Republican Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California.

All represent states struck in the last year by hurricanes or wildfires.

“When I surveyed the devastation from Hurricane Helene, I knew the road to recovery would be long and difficult, but that South Carolinians are resilient,” Tim Scott said. “The SBA Disaster Transparency Act makes simple but necessary reforms to the Disaster Loan Account that will provide increased transparency and ensure Congress is able to act before it’s too late.”

Schiff added, “In the aftermath of the fires in Los Angeles that have devastated our communities, we are introducing this bipartisan bill to hold the SBA accountable and improve transparency of available disaster funds. With this oversight, we can help ensure that those impacted receive the support and funding they deserve to swiftly recover and rebuild.”

Kash advance

Sen. Ashley Moody said she is tired of Democratic moves to “obstruct and delay” confirmations for Trump’s Cabinet nominees, especially given that new Attorney General Pam Bondi needs help combating the scourge of drugs brought into the country by illegal immigrants.

“She needs her people in place to effectuate these things. She needs the director of the (Federal Bureau of Investigation) ready to go. Her passion to secure this nation based on her decades as a prosecutor and Attorney General? I mean, it is still lore back in Florida when she went into lawmakers’ chambers and said, this amount of fentanyl will kill you,” the Plant City Republican said on “The Faulkner Focus.”

She then offered a chilling warning and possible blame about potential fentanyl casualties if FBI Director nominee Kash Patel, who is stalled in Judiciary, and others aren’t confirmed in a timely fashion.

“And remember, that is the No. 1 killer of working and fighting-age Americans right now. There is no more time to waste, and if Democrats stand in our way, it is on their hands and heads if we cannot control the crime and devastation that was the result of the Biden administration.

Speaking for the deaf

Rep. John Rutherford said it’s time Congress gave a voice to people who are hard of hearing. The Jacksonville Republican relaunched the Bipartisan Congressional Deaf Caucus with Rep. Mark Takano, a California Democrat.

“For more than a decade, the Congressional Deaf Caucus has focused on bringing awareness to the challenges faced by Deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans,” Rutherford said. “Deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans face unique obstacles in their daily lives, from health care to education to employment.

“My district is home to the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind in St. Augustine, which has provided me a firsthand look at the positive impact increased accessibility options have on Deaf and hard-of-hearing Americans. I look forward to continuing to work with Rep. Takano to address opportunities in Congress to promote equity for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities nationwide.”

Rutherford and Takano will host a roundtable in Congress with experts on the policy needs of the deaf community.

“The Congressional Deaf Caucus has done incredible work over the past 10 years, from expanding the Congressional Deaf Internship Program to ensuring Schools for the Deaf — like the California School for the Deaf Riverside in my district — have the resources they need,” Takano said. “The Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community faces pressing challenges that must be addressed, and the need for connection between members of Congress and their Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing constituents is greater than ever.”

Sinking feeling

Concerns over sinkholes have members of Florida’s delegation working across the aisle seeking research for funding.

Reps. Gus Bilirakis, a Palm Harbor Republican, and Darren Soto, a Kissimmee Democrat, filed the Sinkhole Mapping Act (HR 900). This bill would direct the U.S. Geological Survey to study the short — and long-term contributing factors to sinkholes caused by prolonged droughts and water management.

“Sinkholes pose a serious risk to Florida’s communities, infrastructure, and economy, yet we still lack a comprehensive mapping system to track and predict these hazards,” Soto said. “Directing the USGS to study the causes and risks of sinkhole formation will help provide critical data to help protect homeowners, businesses, and first responders. This is an important step toward ensuring public safety and strengthening our resilience against these natural threats.”

Bilirakis pointed to recent sinkholes in the state that threaten residential areas.

“In recent years, we have seen throughout Tampa Bay how dangerous sinkholes can be for neighborhoods,” he said. “To improve public safety and consumer protection, we need to study the causes and remedies of sinkholes while developing geological maps to delineate the highest risk areas for sinkholes to occur.”

Democratic Reps. Kathy Castor, Maxwell Frost and Frederica Wilson all co-sponsored the bill.

Good trouble at Treasury

Frost led two dozen members of Congress to the Treasury Department this week to protest power grabs by Elon Musk.

“Nobody elected Elon Musk to serve in our government, yet somehow this out-of-touch billionaire has been given the keys to run our country and has unfettered power to put working families and working Americans at risk,” the Orlando Democrat said.

Frost led members to protest after the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Musk and empowered by President Donald Trump, was reportedly given “read-only” access to all federal government financial records, as reported by CBS News.

It creates a privacy concern for all Americans, according to Frost.

“Your Social Security number, your IRS information, your VA benefits, your Medicare or Medicaid benefits – are all in the hands of Elon Musk,” Frost said.

Musk, meanwhile, has publicized information on his social media platform X, including media subscriptions from government accounts.

“This is obviously a huge waste of money,” Musk posted.

Primitive radio gods

Although more people may be tuning out of broadcast radio, Bilirakis wants every car equipped to pick up a signal anyway.

The House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Chair filed the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act with Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat and the committee’s Ranking Member.

“In order to maximize public safety and ensure continued access to every available option, it is critical to have a robust and widely accessible communication infrastructure in place to alert Americans during emergency situations and natural disasters,” Bilirakis said.

“Each hurricane season, Floridians rely upon the ability to gain access to information needed to make timely and potentially lifesaving decisions to evacuate, stay in place, seek shelter, or contact first responders. Further, rural and underserved Americans still enjoy listening to AM radio broadcasts for their diverse views. Radio broadcast still has one of the highest reaches of any medium, and with a majority of listening taking place outside of the home, we must ensure this useful tool remains a readily available option for all Americans who own vehicles.”

The bill would direct the Transportation Department, in consultation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Federal Communications Commission, to issue rules requiring auto manufacturers to keep AM radios as standard equipment in vehicles. The legislation also calls for a Government Accountability Office study of the effectiveness of AM radios for communications during emergencies.

“AM radio provides a broad variety of programming and lifesaving information during emergencies, and that’s why it’s critical we ensure all Americans can access it from their cars,” Pallone said.

Gang deportation

While the vacating of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans brought bipartisan pushback from Florida lawmakers, Rep. Vern Buchanan expects broad agreement the status shouldn’t go to members of international gangs.

The Longboat Key Republican filed Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act, which would disqualify aliens in criminal gangs from ever becoming eligible for TPS and would call for swift deportation if they are found illegally within the United States.

“Violent criminal illegals have no place in our country,” said Buchanan. “If the (Joe) Biden administration had been doing its job, Laken Riley, Jocelyn Nungaray and countless others murdered by criminal illegals would still be alive. Congress needs to pass my Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act to make sure violent criminal illegals are immediately deported and never allowed to enter our country again.”

Under current law, gang affiliation alone won’t result in an undocumented person’s deportation until they are convicted of a separate crime.

Border security advocates praised Buchanan’s bill.

“Rep. Buchanan’s legislation will assist with removing criminal gang members, many of which streamed in by the thousands during the Biden/(Kamala) Harris Administration, into our country. As a nation, our goal should be as close to zero people crossing our borders illegally, and we should especially have no tolerance for criminal gang members entering America illegally,” reads a statement from NumbersUSA.

End to aid?

As the Trump administration freezes all funding to USAID, Rep. Greg Steube said it’s time to eliminate the agency.

The Sarasota Republican filed legislation to abolish USAID and direct all funding directly to the State Department.

“For too long, USAID has funneled billions of American tax dollars into bloated, inefficient foreign aid programs that are riddled with waste, corruption and ideological bias,” Steube said.

“Instead of benefiting American taxpayers who fund these programs, USAID’s initiatives often push progressive social agendas that are out-of-touch with the values and interests of our nation. Worse yet, these dollars frequently end up in the hands of bad actors who do not have America’s interests in mind and misuse the funds for purposes far removed from their original intent.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick condemned the administration’s funding shutdown, which included a freeze on all aid to Haiti. The delegation, including Rubio as Senator, supported providing $15 million in U.S. funding for the United Nations-led Multinational Security Support mission to stabilize the island nation.

Co-Chairs of the House Haiti Caucus, including Cherfilus-McCormick, issued a joint statement on the fund stoppage.

“We are deeply disappointed that the Trump administration is halting necessary and lifesaving assistance to Haiti, which continues to grapple with an ongoing political, security, and humanitarian crisis. Under the Biden administration, the U.S. committed to over $15 million in aid for Haiti through the U.N. trust fund. However, only $1.7 million has already been spent — restricting access to over $13 million,” the statement reads.

“This decision comes at the absolute worst time, especially for Haitian nationals who are now at risk of losing their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under this administration – putting them back into a very volatile and dangerous environment. We have a responsibility to honor the commitment we made to support Haitian stability and the safety of all its people. We cannot send Haitians who have sought legal refuge in the U.S. back to a country overrun by gangs and violence without assistance and taking every effort to ensure their safety.”

Brix tricks

Florida lawmakers are making a fresh push to change federal rules on orange juice formulas.

Reps. Scott Franklin and Debbie Wasserman Schultz filed the bipartisan Defending Domestic Orange Juice Production Act, the Florida lawmakers’ latest effort to reshape Food and Drug Administration regulations on brix levels, the required ratios of sugar and solids in non-from-concentrate orange juice.

“Outdated standards and needless red tape are standing in the way of Florida citrus’ big comeback,” said Franklin, a Lakeland Republican.

“While slow-moving FDA bureaucrats take years to deliberate a small regulatory adjustment, our growers are losing out on profit to foreign producers and struggling to keep their operations afloat. This simple fix throws them a lifeline, allowing more domestic products to come to market without sacrificing quality for consumers. Helping Florida’s flagship crop is a bipartisan issue, and I’m grateful to my Florida colleagues for joining me to update this harmful regulation.”

Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat and co-Chair of Florida’s congressional delegation, filed similar legislation in 2023 attempting to change the federal rules for orange juice, but the bill stalled in the House Health Subcommittee. The new legislation would reduce the required level of solid content from 10.5% to 10%. Florida citrus growers say the current requirement cannot be met using many Florida oranges picked in recent years, which means many Florida juices must be supplemented with imported fruits.

“Unless we defeat pests, diseases, and extreme weather, the natural decline in brix levels in mature Florida oranges will continue, but this bill would provide our farmers and processors with the flexibility to keep producing the world’s best oranges, with no sacrifices in the high quality and taste our farmers always deliver,” Wasserman Schultz said.

Republican Reps. Kat Cammack, Bilirakis, and Neal Dunn, and Democratic Reps. Castor and Soto co-sponsored the bill.

Existential threat

Iran’s recent saber-rattling has attracted Florida lawmakers’ attention on both sides of the aisle.

Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart, Chair of the House National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee, this week voiced strong support for Trump’s campaign to deny the Islamic Republic nuclear capacity. The Hialeah Republican issued a joint statement with House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, and House Defense Subcommittee Chair Ken Calvert, a California Republican.

“The Iranian regime isn’t shy about its desire to destroy America. We fully support President Trump’s maximum pressure strategy to confront Iranian threats and deny their nuclear ambitions,” the statement reads.

“With new leadership in the White House, this rogue state sponsor of terror will no longer be able to exploit weakness and pursue destabilizing actions without consequence. By targeting resources Iran uses to support terrorists, abuse its people, and pursue weapons, we are putting America first and making the world safer. U.S. enemies are on notice — and deterrence and strength will lead to a safer and stronger future for all.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Parkland Democrat, made clear voices on the Democratic side also support keeping “all options” on the table for dealing with Iran. He filed legislation with Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, affirming a sense of the House’s view that a nuclear Iran poses an existential threat.

“Allowing Iran to maintain and build a nuclear program is an existential threat to the United States, Israel, and global stability,” Moskowitz said.

“As the Iranian regime continues its dangerous attempts at nuclear expansion, leaders have to call this out for what it is: an unacceptable escalation in the Middle East and a national security threat against the United States and our allies. Iran must dismantle its nuclear program now. This resolution makes clear the United States won’t stand for anything less and will consider all options to protect our national security. We must send a clear, bipartisan message that we stand with our ally Israel and that a continued nuclear program in Iran is an absolute nonstarter.”

Washington move?

Hialeah Mayor Steven Bovo could soon join The Southern Group as the Florida-based firm launches a Washington office.

According to the Miami Herald, the South Florida Mayor was offered a $150,000 annual salary to work at the firm and expects to step down from his public office to take the position.

Bovo has strong political connections to Rubio and is a rumored appointee within the Trump administration.

On this day

Feb. 7, 1962 — “Full U.S.‑Cuba embargo goes into effect” via History.com — President John F. Kennedy’s Proclamation 3447 went into effect, broadening restrictions on trade with Cuba. The embargo followed a rapid decline in U.S.-Cuban relations. Though Fidel Castro’s revolutionaries deposed a government backed by the U.S. in 1959, the new Cuban regime initially sought a friendly relationship with its most powerful neighbor, but the Americans remained skeptical, fearing he was a communist. After the Bay of Pigs Invasion, a botched attempt at counter-revolution staged by the CIA in 1961, Castro abandoned all hope of a friendly relationship with the U.S., declaring Cuba to be Marxist. The diplomatic situation grew icier and icier, leading Kennedy to broaden the embargo.

Feb. 7, 1984 — “Astronaut performs the first untethered spacewalk” via NASA — Astronaut Bruce McCandless approached his maximum distance from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Challenger. While testing out the nitrogen-propelled, hand-controlled backpack device called the manned maneuvering unit for the first time, McCandless’ fellow crew aboard the reusable vehicle photographed him. The MMU allowed crews to move outside of the cargo bay and perform activities away from the safety of the spacecraft. “It may have been one small step for Neil,” he proclaimed, “but it’s a heck of a big leap for me.”

Happy birthday

Best wishes to Rep. Bilirakis, who turns 62 on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

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Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by A.G. Gancarski.

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Bishop Ebli De La Rosa says his motto right now is “to prepare for the worst and pray for the best.”

De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, says he has had to respond quickly to the Trump administration’s new orders, which have thrown out policies that restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive locations such as schools and houses of worship.

This move has imperiled 32 of the Latino evangelical denomination’s 70 pastors who are here without legal status and serve in some of the region’s most vulnerable communities, De La Rosa said. The bishop has instructed each congregation with endangered pastors to prepare three laypeople to take over, should their leader be deported. He has also told them to livestream every service, and to “keep recording even if something happens.”

“Some of my pastors are holding services with doors locked because they are scared that immigration agents will burst through the door at any moment,” he said. “I feel so bad and so helpless that I can do nothing more for them.”

De La Rosa echoes the sentiments of several other faith leaders representing thousands of Latino evangelical Christians in Florida and swaths of the Southeast. They worry about the sanctity of their sacred spaces, and the possibility of immigration raids and arrests.

A statement from the Department of Homeland Security on Jan. 20 said the President’s executive order will empower officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to enforce immigration laws and that “criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”

Agustin Quiles, a spokesperson for the Florida Fellowship of Hispanic Councils and Evangelical Institutions, said community members, including many who supported Donald Trump in the last election cycle, now feel devastated and abandoned.

“The messaging appears to be that anyone who is undocumented is a criminal,” he said. “Latino evangelicals for the most part voted Republican and hold conservative views on issues like abortion. We want to ask the President to reconsider because these actions are causing pain and trauma to so many families in and beyond our churches. Their suffering is great, and the church is suffering with them.”

Quiles said his organization will lobby legislators in Washington and Florida to reinstate laws that protected sensitive spaces like houses of worship.

“Our main focus is the unity of families and the many children who will be impacted or left behind without their parents,” he said.

Pastor Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, who advised President Trump on immigration during his first term, says he has been assured on multiple occasions “by those in the know” that houses of worship have nothing to fear.

“There should be zero angst as it pertains to churches because no one is going to come into a church with or without guns blazing,” he said. “That is never going to happen.”

However, Rodriguez said agents may surveil a church if they suspect someone engaged in criminal activity is seeking shelter there. And he said those who are here illegally — even if they have lived in the United States for decades — may be deported if they are living with or are around someone who is here illegally and has committed a crime.

The National Association of Evangelicals, which says it represents 40 congregations and serves millions, expressed dismay at the executive order.

“Withdrawal of guidance protecting houses of worship, schools and health facilities from immigration enforcement is troubling,” it said on Jan. 22, asserting that the move has deterred some from attending church.

Pastors who are seeing the impact of these orders on the ground agree.

The Rev. Esteban Rodriguez, who leads Centro Cristiano El Pan de Vida, a mid-size Church of God of Prophecy congregation in Kissimmee, Florida, said Latino evangelical churches “are like a big family that is composed of families.” In his community, those who are here without legal status have even been afraid to go to work, church and to food pantries to fulfill their basic needs, he said.

Rodriguez said he has been helping some congregants with reference letters for their immigration applications and speaking with lawyers to see how the church can help proactively.

The Rev. Ruben Ortiz, Latino field coordinator for Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, says Latino churches have spent decades creating these sacred spaces at great cost, without relying on government assistance. Ortiz said he was distressed to hear about an incident outside an Atlanta-area church where an individual was arrested while a service was being held inside.

The Bible clearly states that a church is a place of refuge and these laws challenge that sacred belief, Ortiz said.

“We are getting calls from members who say they don’t feel safe in our churches,” he said. ”We are going to respond by giving shelter. We are going to embrace all regardless of their immigration status. Everyone can and should find refuge in our churches.”

Thomas A. Saenz, President and general counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he does not expect immigration authorities to engage in raids on churches that violate people’s constitutional right to gather and worship.

“What they may do and have done is target a specific individual who might be attending church,” he said. “I would expect more of that.”

The law is murky as to whether churches can legally shelter those who are here illegally as part of their faith, but there are strong arguments to be made, Saenz said.

“People should know they have rights that protect them, and that they have allies inside and outside the church who will express their outrage if their constitutional rights are violated,” he said.

Latino evangelicals are in a unique spot because they are influenced by the theology of right-leaning white evangelical churches, whose pastors and leaders are also the strongest voices against immigration, said Lloyd Barba, assistant professor of religion at Amherst College in Massachusetts who studies Latino immigration and religion.

Barba said the Latino evangelical community includes many independent churches and diverse organizations that lack a unified, central teaching on immigration — unlike mainline denominations such as the United Methodist Church or the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

“Even the Catholic Church has a robust doctrine and social teaching on immigration,” he said. “Without that, we tend to encounter a little more reluctance or uncertainty about whether Latino pastors should be engaging in this kind of sacred resistance.”

Bishop Abner Adorno with Assemblies of God in the Florida Multicultural District, said he leans into the Bible where he says the teaching on immigration is crystal clear. He points to Deuteronomy 10:19, which says: “So you, too, must show love to foreigners for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”

“This verse describes a Judeo-Christian foundation of concern for immigrants and refugees,” he said. “While the concern of the government must be on enforcement, the role of the church must be compassion.”

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

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Miami-Dade Republican Sen. Bryan Ávila filed a bill Thursday requiring political pollsters to inform people who sponsored the poll before collecting responses.

The bill (SB 528) would punish pollsters who don’t disclose who is paying for the poll with a fine of up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail. Pollsters must include the disclosure at the beginning of polls conducted over text, at the beginning of a phone call, and in bold font of at least 12 points in emails.

Polling operations out Florida Atlantic University and the University of North Florida wouldn’t see much of a change if the bill passed, their directors told the Florida Phoenix.

“(The bill) didn’t faze me too much,” Kevin Wagner, Co-Director of the Florida Atlantic University Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab, said in a phone interview. “As a matter of course, in both our intro and our outro, which is when we introduce a poll and when we leave, we always say Main Street research on behalf of Florida Atlantic University, so we do this anyway.”

Michael Binder, who leads UNF’s Public Opinion Research Lab, said the proposal wasn’t likely to increase transparency.

“If you’re trying to root out nefarious actors, I’m not sure how much this is going to help because they’re just going say, ‘This poll is paid for by the Democracy Fund or America Fund,’ or whatever made-up name that given organization sticks on itself, so it’s not gonna necessarily be super transparent about who is actually doing it anyway,” Binder said.

Both polling experts said it could be harder for political parties and some candidates with fewer resources to conduct polls if the bill passed.

“Let’s say you’re polling for a political party and if you say, ‘I’m doing this for the Republicans or the Democrats.’ It may bias the people who are likely to respond to it or they may respond differently, and that could affect the kind of data that you could collect,” Wagner said.

Avila’s office did not respond to the Phoenix’s requests for comment.

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Jackie Llanos reporting. Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: [email protected].

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