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Florida judge orders rewrite of property tax referendum

A judge found the referendum language misleading.

Election

Florida&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="property tax referendum" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/07/09/floridas-property-tax-amendment-lacks-champions" data-vars-content-id="0d8920c1-b215-49c5-9d82-7b56cce22ea2" data-vars-headline="Florida judge orders rewrite of property tax referendum" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2026/07/09/floridas-property-tax-amendment-lacks-champions" target="_self">property tax referendum</a> needs a rewrite, a judge ruled on Monday.Why it matters: The November ballot question would give homeowners a tax break by increasing the non-schools homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 by 2027 — and then to $250,000 by 2028.

Meet the South Florida primary candidates for state representative

Early voting for primary elections has already begun.Why it matters: Miami-Dade residents will vote in local races, but they&#x27;ll have the opportunity to elect their representatives at the state level, too.

South Florida's unemployment rates hold steady

The unchanged figure suggests a solid labor market.

News

South Florida&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="unemployment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/jobless-claims-unemployment-ai" data-vars-content-id="56c8f7fd-0982-4ac3-b076-054c41b5e2db" data-vars-headline="South Florida&#x27;s unemployment rates hold steady" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/jobless-claims-unemployment-ai" target="_self">unemployment</a> rate held steady in June while the national rate edged lower, keeping the metro area&#x27;s jobless rate at a seasonally adjusted 3.9%, new federal data shows.Why it matters: While nearly half of the cities and metro areas tracked in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" jobs report " data-vars-click-url="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.nr0.htm" data-vars-content-id="56c8f7fd-0982-4ac3-b076-054c41b5e2db" data-vars-headline="South Florida&#x27;s unemployment rates hold steady" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.nr0.htm" target="_blank"> jobs report </a>posted higher unemployment rates, South Florida&#x27;s low, unchanged figure suggests its labor market remains solid.By the numbers: South Florida&#x27;s unemployment rate is 0.3 percentage points below the national average and is lower than 55% of the areas surveyed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.The big picture: The lowest rate was Rapid City, South Dakota, which ticked just below 2%<ul><li>The highest was Southern California&#x27;s El Centro at just under 19%, while Visalia, California, also topped 10%.</li></ul>Context: Our area added 5,300 jobs since last June. The state added 41,200 jobs during the same period.What we&#x27;re watching: The Fed&#x27;s policymaking committee appears to be more focused on inflation than the job market. They left their key interest rate <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="unchanged" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/29/fed-warsh-rates-inflation" data-vars-content-id="56c8f7fd-0982-4ac3-b076-054c41b5e2db" data-vars-headline="South Florida&#x27;s unemployment rates hold steady" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/07/29/fed-warsh-rates-inflation" target="_self">unchanged</a> on Wednesday, leaving interest rates on credit cards and car loans elevated.The bottom line: A stable local employment picture can be welcome news, but it doesn&#x27;t necessarily translate into relief for household budgets.

Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation

A Miami Republican is among those trying to force a vote on the bill.

Immigration

As Miami&#x27;s Haitian and Venezuelan communities grapple with the end of Temporary Protected Status, immigration activists hope that a bipartisan House bill could help those who lost their legal status.The big picture: In South Florida, which has the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="largest concentration" data-vars-click-url="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data-tool/us-immigrant-population-state-county" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/data-tool/us-immigrant-population-state-county" target="_blank">largest concentration</a> of Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S., those with expired TPS now live in fear of deportation.<ul><li>Last year, the Trump administration <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ended TPS" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/article/temporary-legal-protections-supreme-court-haitian-syrian-14d4851b164093e4182e953ae5142edd" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/article/temporary-legal-protections-supreme-court-haitian-syrian-14d4851b164093e4182e953ae5142edd" target="_blank">ended TPS</a> for about 650,000 Venezuelans.</li><li>This summer, an estimated 350,000 Haitians <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="lost" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/24/florida-miami-tps-haiti" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/24/florida-miami-tps-haiti" target="_self">lost</a> their TPS.</li></ul>Driving the news: The American Dream and Promise Act would give permanent residency to eligible TPS holders, along with certain immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.<ul><li>Miami Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar and other co-sponsors of the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="bill" data-vars-click-url="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1589/text#toc-HBA66787A6BAE4C188556A7FCD2237794" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1589/text#toc-HBA66787A6BAE4C188556A7FCD2237794" target="_blank">bill</a> are trying to force a vote in the House through a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="discharge petition" data-vars-click-url="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2026072025?Page=3" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://clerk.house.gov/DischargePetition/2026072025?Page=3" target="_blank">discharge petition</a>, which currently has 210 of the needed 218 signatures to call a vote.</li></ul><figure><img alt="Venezuelans held posters describing the actual situation in the country during a vigil held in Doral, Florida, by the Venezuelan American Caucus in support of the extension of the TPS for Venezuelans that were forced to leave their country due to the dictatorship lead by Nicolas Maduro, on Thursday," height="1817" id="11807b3d-5db7-4ff2-8cb3-492b2a08b02b" src="https://images.axios.com/I-7uj2SkExItivb1PuVOf4RgoPo=/2026/08/06/1786031357964.jpeg" width="3000"/><figcaption>Venezuelans rally for an extension of TPS in 2025. Photo: Pedro Portal/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>How it works: The bill would give permanent residency to TPS beneficiaries who were eligible for TPS in 2017, have lived three years in the U.S. and follow other requirements.<ul><li>It would also give residency to eligible immigrants brought to the country as children who have been living in the U.S. since 2021 and pursued their education here.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: Salazar tells Axios she signed the discharge petition &quot;because the situation is dire, and we cannot allow Congress to keep avoiding the issue.&quot;<ul><li>She said conditions remain unsafe in Venezuela and Haiti for TPS recipients to return.</li></ul>Zoom in: Adelys Ferro, executive director of the South Florida-based Venezuelan American Caucus, said in a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="video posted to Instagram" data-vars-click-url="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqUsPTA3q-/?hl=en" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbqUsPTA3q-/?hl=en" target="_blank">video posted to Instagram</a> that the bill is the best current legislative path for TPS holders to stay in the country.<ul><li>She tells Axios that Venezuelan TPS holders in Miami are living in hiding because they no longer have legal status. </li><li>Many have stopped working, sold their businesses and houses, and now live with friends and family members, she said.</li><li>&quot;People are terrified to leave their houses, people are terrified to open the doors to their houses.&quot;</li></ul>Meanwhile, Haitian TPS holders are living a similar reality.<ul><li>Farah Larrieux, a South Florida TPS recipient, told <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="NPR" data-vars-click-url="https://www.npr.org/2026/07/29/nx-s1-5910837/haiti-tps-florida-trump-immigration" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.npr.org/2026/07/29/nx-s1-5910837/haiti-tps-florida-trump-immigration" target="_blank">NPR</a> last month that she had stopped working and planned to live off her savings while applying for asylum.</li></ul>Isaias Guerrero, director of advocacy and mobilization at the Center for Popular Democracy, tells Axios that he&#x27;s heard cases of Haitian TPS beneficiaries skipping medical appointments and not sending their kids to school.<ul><li>&quot;The situation is one of complete desperation and uncertainty.&quot;</li></ul>What we&#x27;re watching: Even if the bill passes the House, it would then head to a Senate that <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recently blocked a proposed extension" data-vars-click-url="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article316615568.html" data-vars-content-id="aa350330-234f-49a3-ae97-9fc5daa6524e" data-vars-headline="Activists push for bill to help Venezuelan, Haitian TPS holders facing deportation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article316615568.html" target="_blank">recently blocked a proposed extension</a> of Haitian TPS.<ul><li>&quot;We&#x27;re gonna fight, we&#x27;re not giving up until we find a way to help them,&quot; Ferro says.</li></ul>

"A lot of fear." South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status

TPS holders are living in fear as their deportation protections expire.

Many South Florida Haitians are living in fear as an estimated 350,000 Haitian immigrants across the U.S. brace for their <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/10/florida-haiti-tps-extension-work-permits-rally" data-vars-content-id="8504eb2b-71bb-490c-87a1-f28d0a364bf6" data-vars-headline="&quot;A lot of fear.&quot; South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/10/florida-haiti-tps-extension-work-permits-rally" target="_self">Temporary Protected Status</a> to end Monday.The big picture: The Trump administration&#x27;s decision to end <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="TPS" data-vars-click-url="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status" data-vars-content-id="8504eb2b-71bb-490c-87a1-f28d0a364bf6" data-vars-headline="&quot;A lot of fear.&quot; South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status" target="_blank">TPS</a> will <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="separate families" data-vars-click-url="https://www.npr.org/2026/07/23/nx-s1-5884947/haitians-protected-status-tps" data-vars-content-id="8504eb2b-71bb-490c-87a1-f28d0a364bf6" data-vars-headline="&quot;A lot of fear.&quot; South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.npr.org/2026/07/23/nx-s1-5884947/haitians-protected-status-tps" target="_blank">separate families</a> and hurt Florida&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="health care" data-vars-click-url="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/floridas-nursing-homes-are-bracing-for-life-without-haitian-tps-workers/" data-vars-content-id="8504eb2b-71bb-490c-87a1-f28d0a364bf6" data-vars-headline="&quot;A lot of fear.&quot; South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/floridas-nursing-homes-are-bracing-for-life-without-haitian-tps-workers/" target="_blank">health care</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="hospitality and tourism" data-vars-click-url="https://frla.org/news-release/press-release-florida-hospitality-industry-urges-federal-action-to-support-employers-following-tps-decision/" data-vars-content-id="8504eb2b-71bb-490c-87a1-f28d0a364bf6" data-vars-headline="&quot;A lot of fear.&quot; South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://frla.org/news-release/press-release-florida-hospitality-industry-urges-federal-action-to-support-employers-following-tps-decision/" target="_blank">hospitality and tourism</a> industries, advocates and business leaders say.<ul><li>TPS has protected Haitians and provided them work authorization since <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2010" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/general-news-b5b989398d08474ab3387249e03bc6be" data-vars-content-id="8504eb2b-71bb-490c-87a1-f28d0a364bf6" data-vars-headline="&quot;A lot of fear.&quot; South Florida Haitians brace for end of Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b5b989398d08474ab3387249e03bc6be" target="_blank">2010</a>.</li></ul>

South Florida Haitians rally for TPS extension as work permits set to expire

South Florida&#x27;s Haitian community is pleading for new deportation protections after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to revoke <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/06/25/supreme-court-massachusetts-tps-haiti" data-vars-content-id="54a3bcfd-04ff-4f8d-8b59-ec754abe6fa1" data-vars-headline="South Florida Haitians rally for TPS extension as work permits set to expire" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/06/25/supreme-court-massachusetts-tps-haiti" target="_self">Temporary Protected Status</a> for Haitians.The big picture: Florida is home to an <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="estimated" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fwd.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Haiti-TPS-Fact-Sheet_January-2026.pdf" data-vars-content-id="54a3bcfd-04ff-4f8d-8b59-ec754abe6fa1" data-vars-headline="South Florida Haitians rally for TPS extension as work permits set to expire" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fwd.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Haiti-TPS-Fact-Sheet_January-2026.pdf" target="_blank">estimated</a> 158,000 Haitian TPS holders, including about 93,000 workers at risk of losing their work authorizations.

Report: These 2 cities led Miami-Dade in immigration arrests

Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Springs top immigration arrests

Public Safety

The police departments of Sunny Isles Beach and Miami Springs led all other Miami-Dade cities in immigration-related arrests dating to last August, according to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Miami Herald" data-vars-click-url="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article315927482.html#storylink=cpy" data-vars-content-id="8cc93d5e-ba75-435d-8f85-8f650eb3e51e" data-vars-headline="Report: These 2 cities led Miami-Dade in immigration arrests" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/immigration/article315927482.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank">Miami Herald</a>.The big picture: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Immigration arrests" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/04/09/ice-arrests-surge-in-miami-quieter-tactics-287g" data-vars-content-id="8cc93d5e-ba75-435d-8f85-8f650eb3e51e" data-vars-headline="Report: These 2 cities led Miami-Dade in immigration arrests" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/04/09/ice-arrests-surge-in-miami-quieter-tactics-287g" target="_self">Immigration arrests</a> in Florida have skyrocketed under President Trump, an increase local advocates attribute to how the state&#x27;s police departments have partnered with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Miami ICE leads U.S. in arrests, driven by local cops' cooperation

Florida tops the nation in ICE agreements with local police.

Immigration arrests in Florida have skyrocketed under President Trump, an increase local advocates attribute to how the state&#x27;s police departments have partnered with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Immigration and Customs Enforcement" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/10/ice-border-patrol-lyons-scott-trump-house-panel" data-vars-content-id="8a5c2819-84ba-4029-8fe0-332c2a7b348c" data-vars-headline="Miami ICE leads U.S. in arrests, driven by local cops&#x27; cooperation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/02/10/ice-border-patrol-lyons-scott-trump-house-panel" target="_self">Immigration and Customs Enforcement</a>.Why it matters: While South Florida hasn&#x27;t seen the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="high-profile raids" data-vars-click-url="https://newrepublic.com/post/208648/ice-military-base-arrest-newlywed-soldier-wife" data-vars-content-id="8a5c2819-84ba-4029-8fe0-332c2a7b348c" data-vars-headline="Miami ICE leads U.S. in arrests, driven by local cops&#x27; cooperation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://newrepublic.com/post/208648/ice-military-base-arrest-newlywed-soldier-wife" target="_blank">high-profile raids</a> or <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="large protests" data-vars-click-url="https://www.npr.org/sections/the-picture-show/2026/01/30/g-s1-108087/photos-thousands-once-again-protest-ice-in-minneapolis-and-across-the-u-s" data-vars-content-id="8a5c2819-84ba-4029-8fe0-332c2a7b348c" data-vars-headline="Miami ICE leads U.S. in arrests, driven by local cops&#x27; cooperation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/the-picture-show/2026/01/30/g-s1-108087/photos-thousands-once-again-protest-ice-in-minneapolis-and-across-the-u-s" target="_blank">large protests</a> that drew widespread attention to other communities, data shows the region is a national hot spot for immigration enforcement.

Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians

Temporary Protected Status for Haitians is scheduled to end Feb. 3.

A major deadline looms for South Florida&#x27;s Haitian community, the Caribbean nation&#x27;s largest diaspora in the U.S. The big picture: More than 330,000 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Haitians" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/us/trump-tps-haitians-health-care-job-losses.html" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/us/trump-tps-haitians-health-care-job-losses.html" target="_blank">Haitians</a> nationwide may lose their legal status Tuesday as the federal government moves to terminate their Temporary Protected Status.<ul><li>Advocates say the expiration of TPS will fracture families and disrupt the health care industry, where many TPS holders work.</li></ul>Zoom in: Catholic Health Services — which offers assisted living care and other services at four medical centers across South Florida — says 44 of its employees are TPS holders.<ul><li>Brian Kiedrowski, of Catholic Health Services, said at a recent news conference that the end of TPS would impact patient care.</li><li>&quot;If TPS ends, while we will be losing our essential caregivers, it is actually our patients — the frail, the aging, the vulnerable — who will feel the loss most.&quot;</li><li>Meanwhile, a senior care center in Boca Raton expects to lose 30 employees with TPS, the center&#x27;s chief executive told the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="New York Times" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/us/trump-tps-haitians-health-care-job-losses.html" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/us/trump-tps-haitians-health-care-job-losses.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a>.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: Community leaders — from Archbishop Thomas Wenski to Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava — urged the Trump administration to extend deportation protections for Haitians living here.<ul><li>&quot;We should not force Haitians back into a crisis back in Haiti, nor should we create another crisis here because we are forcing them out of their jobs,&quot; Wenski said.</li></ul>State of play: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="TPS" data-vars-click-url="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status" target="_blank">TPS</a> allows foreign nationals to temporarily work and live in the U.S. if the government determines that their home countries are not safe or cannot handle their return. <ul><li>The protection, meant for countries impacted by armed conflict or natural disaster, has been regularly renewed for Haitians since they received it after the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="2010 earthquake" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/general-news-b5b989398d08474ab3387249e03bc6be" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b5b989398d08474ab3387249e03bc6be" target="_blank">2010 earthquake</a> killed more than 220,000 people.</li></ul>But conditions on the island are even worse now, advocates say.<ul><li>The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Miami Herald" data-vars-click-url="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article314413869.html#storylink=cpy" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article314413869.html#storylink=cpy" target="_blank">Miami Herald</a> reports that gangs control a majority of the country&#x27;s capital, and more than <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="1.4 million Haitians" data-vars-click-url="https://www.iom.int/news/displacement-haiti-reaches-record-high-14-million-people-flee-violence" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.iom.int/news/displacement-haiti-reaches-record-high-14-million-people-flee-violence" target="_blank">1.4 million Haitians</a> have been internally displaced from their homes this year. </li><li>The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="United Nations" data-vars-click-url="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166801" data-vars-content-id="635a39d4-8688-498e-b643-78a772895ff2" data-vars-headline="Miami community leaders ask for extension of TPS protections for Haitians" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166801" target="_blank">United Nations</a> says more than 8,100 killings were documented in Haiti between January and November of 2025.</li></ul>The other side: A federal notice announcing the termination of TPS for Haitians states that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem &quot;has determined that while the current situation in Haiti is concerning, the United States must prioritize its national interests.&quot;What&#x27;s next: Multiple lawsuits are challenging the decision, and one judge has indicated she plans to rule before Tuesday&#x27;s expiration date, the Herald reported.

As Maduro pleads not guilty, Florida lawmakers speculate about Cuba

South Florida is home to the largest Venezuelan and Cuban diasporas in the U.S., according to the Migration Policy Institute.

Politics

As deposed Venezuelan leader <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Nicolás Maduro" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/05/maduro-trial-charges-court-case-arraignment-trump" data-vars-content-id="57f2c5ae-cc7c-4ca5-ac17-817377a86b7d" data-vars-headline="As Maduro pleads not guilty, Florida lawmakers speculate about Cuba" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/05/maduro-trial-charges-court-case-arraignment-trump" target="_self">Nicolás Maduro</a> appeared in a New York courtroom on Monday, South Florida&#x27;s Venezuelan community waited to learn more about the country&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="path forward" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/world/americas/trump-venezuela-leader-rodriguez-machado.html" data-vars-content-id="57f2c5ae-cc7c-4ca5-ac17-817377a86b7d" data-vars-headline="As Maduro pleads not guilty, Florida lawmakers speculate about Cuba" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/world/americas/trump-venezuela-leader-rodriguez-machado.html" target="_blank">path forward</a>.Why it matters: Maduro&#x27;s arrest sparked <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="celebrations" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/01/03/venezuelans-miami-celebrate-nicolas-maduro-capture" data-vars-content-id="57f2c5ae-cc7c-4ca5-ac17-817377a86b7d" data-vars-headline="As Maduro pleads not guilty, Florida lawmakers speculate about Cuba" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/01/03/venezuelans-miami-celebrate-nicolas-maduro-capture" target="_self">celebrations</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="protests" data-vars-click-url="https://www.wlrn.org/south-florida/2026-01-03/anti-trump-protesters-to-rally-at-miamis-torch-of-friendship-against-us-attack-on-venezuela" data-vars-content-id="57f2c5ae-cc7c-4ca5-ac17-817377a86b7d" data-vars-headline="As Maduro pleads not guilty, Florida lawmakers speculate about Cuba" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.wlrn.org/south-florida/2026-01-03/anti-trump-protesters-to-rally-at-miamis-torch-of-friendship-against-us-attack-on-venezuela" target="_blank">protests</a> in South Florida, but its long-term implications for Venezuelans here and their loved ones at home remain unclear.<ul><li>Meanwhile, speculation is rising that the U.S. could act next against Cuba, another nation with a major Miami-area diaspora.</li></ul>

Venezuelans in Miami celebrate capture of Nicolás Maduro

People filled the streets in Doral for hours on Saturday.

Politics & Policy

Miami-Dade County&#x27;s Venezuelan community celebrated the capture of president Nicolás Maduro with a day-long rally that drew hundreds on Saturday.The big picture: Greater Miami is home to the largest <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Venezuelan diaspora" data-vars-click-url="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/venezuelan-immigrants-united-states#distribution" data-vars-content-id="55bf1a92-b07e-4876-9a92-3ee0ad315ec8" data-vars-headline="Venezuelans in Miami celebrate capture of Nicolás Maduro" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/venezuelan-immigrants-united-states#distribution" target="_blank">Venezuelan diaspora</a> in the U.S.

Human rights org reports "torture," "inhumane" conditions at Alligator Alcatraz

The DeSantis administration dismissed the report, calling the allegations "fabrications."

Conditions at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Alligator Alcatraz" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2025/07/21/alligator-alcatraz-florida-myth-racist-history" data-vars-content-id="cd3e5b9b-c3b0-4a33-81a3-3d15ac07f2f0" data-vars-headline="Human rights org reports &quot;torture,&quot; &quot;inhumane&quot; conditions at Alligator Alcatraz" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2025/07/21/alligator-alcatraz-florida-myth-racist-history" target="_self">Alligator Alcatraz</a>, the immigrant detention center in the Everglades, are &quot;inhumane and unsanitary,&quot; in some cases amounting to &quot;torture,&quot; according to a new report.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/torture-and-enforced-disappearances-in-the-sunshine-state-human-rights-violations-at-alligator-alcatraz-and-krome-in-florida/" data-vars-content-id="cd3e5b9b-c3b0-4a33-81a3-3d15ac07f2f0" data-vars-headline="Human rights org reports &quot;torture,&quot; &quot;inhumane&quot; conditions at Alligator Alcatraz" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.amnestyusa.org/reports/torture-and-enforced-disappearances-in-the-sunshine-state-human-rights-violations-at-alligator-alcatraz-and-krome-in-florida/" target="_blank">report</a>, authored by the human rights organization Amnesty International, claims the centers do not comply with international human rights laws and standards.