The Billionaire Behind Mysterious Immigration Ads Targeting Miami Republicans.

Michael B. Fernández is funding a targeted campaign of billboards and online ads declaring “Deporting immigrants is cruel” and criticizing Miami’s Republican Cuban‑American Congress members—sparking a tense local reckoning over compassion, identity, and political memory.

How Cuban-American billionaire Michael B. Fernández is shaking up Miami’s political arena with provocative immigration ads, his bold challenge to local Republican leaders, and why his campaign is both personal and high-stakes.

Here’s a weird confession: the first time I saw one of those enormous billboards along the Palmetto, I nearly rear-ended a Kia, rubbernecking at Mario Diaz-Balart’s face beside the words ‘Deporting immigrants is cruel.’ It was the sort of ad that just doesn’t blend in. Turns out, there’s a billionaire — Michael B. Fernández, Cuban exile, philanthropist, not-so-retired troublemaker — behind these mysterious billboards and a digital ad onslaught. His goal? Wake up Miami’s conscience and, maybe, give his fellow Republican-leaning Cubans a jolt about immigration and democracy. This story isn’t just about money and influence, but also memory, identity, and how politics gets personal (and a little dramatic) in South Florida.

The Plot Twist: A Billionaire’s Billboard Blitz

In April, Miami’s highways and digital spaces exploded with a series of mysterious billboards and online ads. The message was impossible to miss: “Deporting immigrants is cruel.” These bold words, splashed alongside the faces of Cuban American Republicans in Congress, quickly became the talk of the town. The ads didn’t stop there—they soon took aim at a new hot-button issue: the controversial state-run immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades, nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

For weeks, Miamians speculated about the mastermind behind these provocative messages. Was it a left-wing group? A shadowy national PAC? The answer, it turned out, was far more surprising. The man funding the Keep Them Honest campaign was none other than Michael B. Fernández, a billionaire philanthropist and chairman of MBF Healthcare Partners. Fernández, a Cuban-born immigrant himself, is a self-described “American first” and former Republican who broke with the party years ago.

Fernández’s campaign was as strategic as it was secretive. By keeping his name out of the spotlight, he let the impact of the immigration ads speak for itself. Miami’s political circles buzzed with theories, while everyday residents debated the billboards’ meaning and intent. The ads specifically targeted Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez, and Maria Elvira Salazar—all high-profile Cuban American Republicans in Congress. Each had, at times, pushed back against the harshest immigration policies, but Fernández argued they hadn’t done enough.

The campaign’s messaging was direct and emotional. One billboard simply read:

“Deporting immigrants is cruel.”

Another digital ad called out the construction of the Alligator Alcatraz detention center, sparking fresh debate about the role of Miami’s lawmakers in shaping immigration policy. Fernández explained his motivation in a rare interview:

“We are seeing a replay of what I saw when I was 12 years old and left Cuba. It is beyond troubling. It is scary.”

By bankrolling the Keep Them Honest campaign, Fernández aimed to “wake up the conscience” of Miami’s Cuban American community and force a conversation about compassion, democracy, and the dangers of repeating history. His billboard blitz didn’t just target politicians—it challenged the entire city to reconsider its stance on immigration and what it means to be American.

Waking Up Miami’s Conscience: Fernández’s Motivations and Memories

For Michael B. Fernández, the Cuban American businessman behind the mysterious immigration ads in Miami-Dade County, political activism and philanthropy are deeply personal. His journey began at age 12, when his family fled Cuba’s authoritarian regime and arrived in New York in 1965. Those early days left a lasting mark—he still remembers the kindness of Mexican and Irish immigrants who offered him snow boots and a coat, helping his family settle into a new life. These memories now fuel his public criticism of current U.S. immigration policy and inspire his drive to “wake up the conscience” of Miami, especially among fellow Cuban Americans.

Fernández sees troubling echoes of Cuba’s past in today’s political climate. He’s spoken openly about his fear that the erosion of democracy in the United States mirrors the dangers his family once escaped. “We are seeing a replay of what I saw when I was 12 years old and left Cuba,” he said. For Fernández, this isn’t just about politics—it’s about legacy. He wants to leave a mark, not only for his city but also for his family. As he puts it:

“I have to leave a mark, an example to my family and my children.” — Michael B. Fernández

His activism has come at a cost. Fernández admits he’s lost friends, investors, and even connections with some family members because of his outspoken stance. Still, he remains undeterred, redirecting his philanthropy to support immigrant communities. After Florida lawmakers repealed in-state tuition for certain undocumented students, Fernández rescinded a $10 million donation to Miami Dade College and a $1 million gift to Florida International University. Instead, he’s channeling those funds into scholarships for undocumented students at private schools, making sure his support reaches those most affected by changing immigration policies.

Fernández’s campaign is more than just a series of ads—it’s a call to action for Miami-Dade County and beyond. He wants to remind Cuban Americans and all Miamians of their shared immigrant roots and the dangers of forgetting history. By putting his name and fortune behind this movement, Michael B. Fernández hopes to inspire others to join him in defending the values that once welcomed his own family to America.

Friends and Foes: Pushback, Losses, and Supporters in the Shadows

Michael B. Fernández’s bold move to bankroll the Keep Them Honest campaign has shaken up Miami’s political scene—and not without personal cost. As the billionaire behind the mysterious immigration ads targeting Cuban American Republicans, Fernández has found himself at the center of both admiration and backlash. His journey from major GOP donor to outspoken critic has come with a price tag that goes far beyond dollars.

Fernández admits that his political crusade has cost him dearly. He’s lost friends, business partners, and even close contact with some family members. Threats and angry messages have become part of his daily routine. The backlash isn’t just social—he’s also lost investors and faced professional consequences for his activism. Still, Fernández remains undeterred, insisting,

“It cannot just be cash on the table.”

Despite these losses, Fernández has quietly built a network of supporters in the shadows. Since April, he’s recruited over 30 new donors to join his funding drive for Keep Them Honest. Surprisingly, about a third of these new backers are Republicans themselves—a sign that bipartisan donor support is quietly shifting beneath the surface in Miami. However, many are reluctant to go public, fearing retaliation or damage to their own reputations. The campaign’s “dark money” structure allows donors to remain anonymous, making it easier for those wary of public backlash to participate.

This isn’t Fernández’s first time in the political spotlight. Over the years, he’s donated more than $30 million to Republican campaigns, including to some of the very politicians he’s now targeting—like Representative Maria Elvira Salazar. His past as a major GOP donor and finance co-chair for Rick Scott’s 2014 campaign stands in sharp contrast to his current role as a leading critic of the party’s immigration stance. This shift has only intensified the reactions from both supporters and detractors, highlighting the tensions within Miami’s political and business elite.

Some of Fernández’s new allies, including former Republican donors, are quietly funding the campaign but staying out of the limelight. The fear of retaliation is real—especially in a city where political and business interests often overlap. Still, Fernández’s billionaire philanthropy activism has managed to galvanize a group of secretive backers, proving that even in a city as polarized as Miami, there’s a growing appetite for challenging the status quo.

Where Cuban-American Republicans Stand: Complicity, Criticism, and Conscience

Miami’s Cuban-American Republican leaders—Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart, Carlos Gimenez, and Maria Elvira Salazar—find themselves at the center of a heated debate over Florida immigration policies and the criticism of Trump policies. Their record on immigration is complicated, sometimes even contradictory, especially as their own immigrant backgrounds clash with the tough stance many have taken in Congress.

While some, like Salazar, have tried to carve out a moderate path—she filed a bill to create a legal status for some immigrants—these efforts have had limited impact. The broader perception remains that this bloc has enabled or stayed silent on the harshest Trump immigration stance. For many, this silence from Cuban American leaders is a political flashpoint, especially in a city where so many residents are immigrants themselves.

Michael B. Fernández, a billionaire philanthropist and former Republican, has become the most vocal critic of this silence. His campaign—featuring full-page ads in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal—calls out what he sees as “complicity and cowardice” among Miami’s Cuban-American Republicans. In his own words:

“It’s not them (the extreme left). It’s us.” — Michael B. Fernández

Fernández’s frustration is rooted in what he sees as a failure of conscience among leaders who should know better. He points out that, despite their own family histories of fleeing authoritarianism, these politicians have rarely pushed back on Trump-era crackdowns. Even when Diaz-Balart and others objected to ending protections for Venezuelan migrants, their dissent was limited and rare within the party.

The recent repeal of in-state tuition for undocumented students—legislation Fernández once lobbied for—further highlights the gap between the community’s values and its leaders’ actions. Fernández’s response was to pull millions in donations from local colleges, redirecting funds to support undocumented students elsewhere.

For Fernández, the Cuban American Republicans’ silence on immigration is more than just politics—it’s a moral issue. His campaign is not just about ousting incumbents, but about “waking up Miami’s conscience” and challenging others to speak out. As he sees it, the community’s silence speaks volumes, and it’s time for leaders to choose between complicity and conscience.

Reckoning or Sideshow? Why These Ads Might Actually Matter for 2025

The 2025 midterm elections in Miami are shaping up to be more than just another political contest—they could become a turning point for how the city talks about immigration, identity, and power. Michael B. Fernández’s splashy immigration ads, targeting Miami’s Cuban American Republicans, have already shaken up the local conversation. But are these ads a true reckoning for Miami-Dade County, or just another sideshow in the city’s long history of political drama?

On the surface, Fernández’s campaign seems like a long shot. The three Republican-held districts he’s targeting aren’t considered competitive, and there’s no clear Democratic challenger on the horizon. Even Fernández himself admits, “It cannot just be cash on the table.” Still, the impact of these immigration ads goes beyond the ballot box. By calling out policies like the new immigration detention center—dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz”—and using powerful imagery of exile and detention, Fernández is forcing Miami to confront its own complicated past and present.

Miami-Dade County is home to one of the highest concentrations of foreign-born residents in the country. Many came here fleeing strongmen and political chaos, only to see echoes of those same struggles in today’s immigration debates. Fernández’s message is clear: “We are seeing a replay of what I saw when I was 12 years old and left Cuba.” His campaign stirs up old anxieties among immigrant communities, challenging them to look at how far they’ve come—and how much is at stake if current immigration policies go unchallenged.

Even if the political outcome is uncertain, the social and cultural impact is already being felt. The ads have shifted the public conversation, making immigration policy criticism a central issue in the 2025 midterm elections in Miami. Fernández hopes to spark a movement, saying,

“I would like to initiate a movement of like-minded donors, activists and voters.”

Whether or not his millions flip any seats, he’s succeeded in waking up Miami’s conscience and forcing a reckoning with its identity.

So, will Fernández’s campaign alter the local balance of power, or will it just become another chapter in Miami’s colorful political folklore? Time will tell. But one thing is certain: these immigration ads have made it impossible for Miami to ignore the deeper questions about who belongs, who decides, and what kind of city it wants to be in 2025 and beyond.

TL;DR: Michael B. Fernández is putting his wealth (and reputation) on the line to challenge Miami’s Cuban-American Republicans on immigration, hoping to spark a broader movement and force a real public reckoning for 2025.

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