By Ana Ceballos
It’s Monday, March 24 and President Donald Trump’s administration is ending a program that has allowed more than 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to come into the United States legally and secure work authorization for up to two years — a decision that will reverberate in South Florida.
Meanwhile, across the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis is successfully pressuring local police departments to sign onto Trump’s immigration crackdown. The governor is also boasting that the first arrest made under the Alien Enemies Act happened in Florida — and is promising that more actions is ahead in the coming weeks.
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING
U.S. Reps. react to Trump’s actions: South Florida congressional members say they are concerned for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans suddenly under threat of deportation now that the Trump administration is ending a program that gave more than 500,000 immigrants a temporary legal pathway into the United States.
Cubans are being detained: The federal government has recently detained Cubans with I-220A documents during immigration check-ins in Miami, creating panic and uncertainty in South Florida’s immigrant communities.
Trump border czar visits Florida: Days after the federal government invoked extraordinary wartime powers to quickly deport Venezuelans accused of being dangerous gang members, DeSantis and Trump’s border czar Tom Homan met in Florida — the heart of the country’s Venezuelan-American community — to underscore that the Trump administration remains undeterred in its efforts.
Federal judge scolds Trump admin: A federal judge in Washington said late last week that Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to summarily deport alleged Venezuelan gang members is “incredibly troublesome and problematic” as he considers the government’s case to end his restraining order blocking their removals.
Florida city reverses course on immigration enforcement vote: Under political pressure from DeSantis and Florida’s attorney general, the Fort Myers City Council reversed course on Friday and voted to allow local police to act as federal immigration agents — a development that could push other hesitant cities to bring their local police into the fold of Florida’s immigration crackdown.
South Miami wants courts to weigh in about immigration law: The city of South Miami wants a judge to determine whether its police department is required to question and arrest undocumented immigrants on behalf of the federal government as local governments that refuse face threats from Florida’s attorney general.
THE VIEW FROM TALLAHASSEE
Florida GOP takes aim at DeSantis in new ways: Florida Republicans notably catered to DeSantis’ political agenda while he was on the political ascent. Now, as the governor approaches the end of his final term, many of those same lawmakers are trying to rein him in.
DeSantis in Idaho: DeSantis is scheduled to traveled to Boise, Idaho on Monday to meet with the state’s governor, Brad Little. They are scheduled to meet at the Idaho state capitol to discuss amendment to the U.S. Constitution that require the federal government to pass a balanced budget, a long-sought goal of many conservatives.
Senate President gets teary over gun law: A push by DeSantis to repeal a law that prevents people under age 21 from buying rifles and shotguns in Florida is positioned to go to the full House, but the issue remains on hold in the Senate. The president of the chamber, Ben Albritton, was emotional as he explained why.
University president searches could soon be more transparent: With state universities and colleges continuing to see turnover of presidents, lawmakers are considering a bill that would repeal a law shielding information about presidential candidates from public disclosure.
Lawmakers target gaming industry regulators: As Florida’s first gambling regulator, Louis Trombetta took an aggressive approach to fantasy sports betting, driving three upstart companies to shut down their games in the state. Then he went to work for one of their competitors. Now, lawmakers are trying to prevent that from happening again.
Schools could be forced to start later: Plans to repeal a law requiring later middle and high school start times by 2026 took a left turn last week, as a Florida House subcommittee rewrote a bill that already had won strong support in two Senate hearings.
More sunshine on insurers could be forthcoming: As Florida’s insurance crisis was unfolding in 2020, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis moved to shield some detailed information about failed insurers from the public. Now lawmakers are looking to put that information back in the sunshine.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
Miami Beach mayor drops proposal to evict O Cinema for screening ‘No Other Land’: Mayor Steven Meiner on Wednesday withdrew a controversial proposal to evict O Cinema from a city-owned building for screening an Oscar-winning documentary about the West Bank. The effort drew a wave of backlash, including an open letter from hundreds of filmmakers and statements from local artists and advocates expressing their support for the theater.
Trump wants to end the Department of Education: Trump signed an executive order last week directing the secretary of the U.S. Department of Education to shut down the federal office and put the power of education in the hands of states. Here is an overview of what this could mean for Florida schools.
‘Unwanted in Miami’: A women-led gender-justice organization has launched an advertising campaign against Andrew and Tristan Tate, accusing Trump of facilitating their return to the United States after being held for charges in Romania.
Bovo leverages influence in Hialeah ahead of departure: Hialeah Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo confirmed that he is stepping down and joining a prominent Washington, D.C., lobbying firm. The mayor’s resignation comes as Hialeah’s political landscape heats up, with elections scheduled in November for the mayoral seat and four council seats.
Thank you for reading! The Politics and Policy in the Sunshine State newsletter was curated this week by Miami Herald reporter Ana Ceballos. We appreciate our readers, and if you have any ideas or suggestions, please drop me a note at [email protected] or message me @anaceballos_.
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