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Judge sides with students, says FIU likely violated First Amendment rights

The ruling is a win for free speech advocates.

Education

A group of students was granted a victory over the weekend when a federal judge ruled that Florida International University likely violated their First Amendment rights.Why it matters: The ruling is a win for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="free speech advocates" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/23/orwellian-flavor-fiu-disciplines-students-for-silent-protest" data-vars-content-id="93c28fce-128c-4491-bd1d-70ef6d0e08f7" data-vars-headline="Judge sides with students, says FIU likely violated First Amendment rights" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/23/orwellian-flavor-fiu-disciplines-students-for-silent-protest" target="_self">free speech advocates</a> and could set a precedent for future cases, as colleges across the country have implemented new rules aiming to limit expression.

Here's who advanced in key Miami-Dade elections 

Voters also selected their parties' nominees for statewide and federal offices.

Politics

Miami-Dade voters elected new local leaders and chose their party&#x27;s nominees for the November election.State of play: From the Miami Marine Stadium referendum to the race for governor, here&#x27;s where some of the region&#x27;s biggest races stand, according to preliminary results from Tuesday night.

Violent crime keeps falling in Miami, other big U.S. cities

The city's numbers mirror national trends

News

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Violent crime" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/10/violent-crime-us-cities-trump" data-vars-content-id="6ba6b242-c44d-4e4e-a24a-6034c90c1739" data-vars-headline="Violent crime keeps falling in Miami, other big U.S. cities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/05/10/violent-crime-us-cities-trump" target="_self">Violent crime</a> kept falling across many of the nation&#x27;s largest cities through June — including Miami, where homicides fell by 50% from the first half of 2025, according to preliminary data reviewed by Axios. Why it matters: The decline now spans two presidencies — it began falling under President Biden after the pandemic-era surge, and has kept dropping under President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="6ba6b242-c44d-4e4e-a24a-6034c90c1739" data-vars-headline="Violent crime keeps falling in Miami, other big U.S. cities" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">Trump</a>.<ul><li>Trump came into office casting America as being overrun by crime at a time when the numbers were already declining dramatically.</li></ul>

South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers

About 93,000 Haitian TPS holders were part of Florida's workforce as of January, according to one analysis.

South Florida&#x27;s economy is feeling the loss of Haitian employees whose <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Temporary Protected Status" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/miami/2026/07/24/florida-miami-tps-haiti" data-vars-content-id="469a9962-eb7d-4ca4-834c-c67151d4afdd" data-vars-headline="South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers" 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">Temporary Protected Status</a> ended in late July.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="469a9962-eb7d-4ca4-834c-c67151d4afdd" data-vars-headline="South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers" 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 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="469a9962-eb7d-4ca4-834c-c67151d4afdd" data-vars-headline="South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers" 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="469a9962-eb7d-4ca4-834c-c67151d4afdd" data-vars-headline="South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers" 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 have said.<ul><li>TPS had 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="469a9962-eb7d-4ca4-834c-c67151d4afdd" data-vars-headline="South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers" 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>

Data center backlash spreads in Florida. Here's what to know

There are already dozens of small-scale centers across the region.

This month, Village of Palmetto Bay Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer announced he’d be introducing legislation to ban <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/19/ai-power-data-center-electricity-construction" data-vars-content-id="ff5289e7-cbf9-466b-bc07-74be715d043f" data-vars-headline="Data center backlash spreads in Florida. Here&#x27;s what to know" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/19/ai-power-data-center-electricity-construction" target="_self">data centers</a> in the village.<ul><li>&quot;Palmetto Bay is a village of families, a village of parks and a village of neighborhoods, and we&#x27;re not going to let data centers wreck that,&quot; Merwitzer said in a news release.</li></ul>Why it matters: The move — although from one of the county’s smaller municipalities — highlights the growing tensions between the new data centers being proposed and the residents who live here.

Virginia Key marina redevelopment heads to Miami voters

A judge cleared the way for the referendum to proceed.

Development

A judge has cleared the way for Miami voters to weigh in on a referendum on the proposed redevelopment of the Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium marinas.Why it matters: After voters on Tuesday approved a new management and restoration plan for the neighboring <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Miami Marine Stadium" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nbcmiami.com/video/nbc-6-news/voters-approve-revival-of-miami-marine-stadium/3848440/" data-vars-content-id="0ce8dc86-7fac-4777-adee-e97446e8663b" data-vars-headline="Virginia Key marina redevelopment heads to Miami voters" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/video/nbc-6-news/voters-approve-revival-of-miami-marine-stadium/3848440/" target="_blank">Miami Marine Stadium</a>, they are being asked to once again decide the fate of city-owned waterfront land on Virginia Key.

DOJ sends election monitors to Miami-Dade for primary

The federal scrutiny comes as the Trump administration plans a major expansion of poll monitoring.

The U.S. Department of Justice is monitoring polling places in Miami for Tuesday&#x27;s primary elections.The big picture: The scrutiny comes as the Trump administration is planning to ramp up election monitoring for the general election.

Here are the South Florida races we're watching on primary night

Miami-Dade County voters are heading to the polls.

Today is primary election day in South Florida. Why it matters: Miami-Dade County voters are heading to the polls to elect representatives at the federal, state and local levels.

Big real estate firms and developers fund Vicki Lopez's campaign

Lopez spearheaded the Live Local Act while serving in Florida's House of Representatives.

More than 70% of Miami-Dade Commissioner Vicki Lopez&#x27;s District 5 reelection campaign was funded by executives and companies in real estate-related industries, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Real Deal reported" data-vars-click-url="https://therealdeal.com/miami/2026/08/12/vicki-lopez-raises-big-money-from-miami-billionaires/" data-vars-content-id="1b1f3618-a509-492e-a678-ef525ecf4978" data-vars-headline="Big real estate firms and developers fund Vicki Lopez&#x27;s campaign" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://therealdeal.com/miami/2026/08/12/vicki-lopez-raises-big-money-from-miami-billionaires/" target="_blank">the Real Deal reported</a>. Why it matters: Lopez, who was appointed to succeed now-Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins, spearheaded the Live Local Act, which preempts local zoning for affordable housing, while serving in the state House of Representatives.<ul><li>As a Miami-Dade commissioner, she&#x27;s advocated for more housing options and addressing affordability.</li></ul>

FIU students sue over handling of anti-ICE demonstration

The dispute has been ongoing since the spring.

A group of students is <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="suing" data-vars-click-url="https://live-awp-florida.pantheonsite.io/app/uploads/2026/08/ICEBreakers-v-Nunez-Complaint.pdf" data-vars-content-id="9eb26587-49d5-430a-9e9f-bcd19d2ae90e" data-vars-headline="FIU students sue over handling of anti-ICE demonstration" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://live-awp-florida.pantheonsite.io/app/uploads/2026/08/ICEBreakers-v-Nunez-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank">suing</a> Florida International University administrators with the support of the ACLU and other civil rights groups, alleging the school violated their First Amendment rights.

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>

Politics 🇺🇸

Judge sides with students, says FIU likely violated First Amendment rights

Data center backlash spreads in Florida. Here's what to know

Virginia Key marina redevelopment heads to Miami voters

South Florida businesses feel loss of Haitian TPS workers

Here's who advanced in key Miami-Dade elections