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Miami Herald
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Kiss of death': South Florida reacts to end of Haiti's Temporary Protected Status
Nadine Mallebranche was only five years old when her family fled the political upheaval of Francois 'Baby Doc' Duvalier's Haiti in the late 1980s. In the United States, the Mallebranche family found safety. After her parents died when she was 13, Mallebranche bounced from foster home to foster home. Social workers tried to help her with her immigration case, but it fell through the cracks, she said. She remained unsure of her legal status for decades. Everything changed for Mallebranche when Haitians were granted deportation protections and work permits under Temporary Protected Status. For the last 15 years, she has not had to fear being sent back to a country she doesn't remember. She could legally work as a store supervisor. 'It was a lifeline,' she told the Miami Herald. But on Friday, Mallebranche, now 45, learned that the Trump administration is ending TPS for over half-a-million Haitians living in the United States. Come this fall, she could be forced to return to a gang-ridden Caribbean country struggling with record hunger and political instability. 'I'm facing potential deportation to a country that is overrun by criminal gangs,' said Mallebranche. 'The only home that I know is the United States.' In the first six months of 2025, extreme violence in Haiti killed about 2,700 people . Sexual violence and kidnappings are rampant. Almost 1.3 million people are internally displaced and 5.7 million people face acute hunger. READ MORE: Trump ends TPS for Haitians. More than a half-million people now face deportation But a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said on Friday that 'the environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home' — even as the State Department warns Americans to not travel there at all because of kidnapping, civil unrest, limited healthcare, and extreme gang violence. This week, the agency urged Americans to 'depart as soon as possible.' Litigation challenging the termination of Haiti's TPS is very likely. But the Trump administration's decision to end TPS has sent shock waves through South Florida, the heart of the Haitian diaspora in the United States. Over 300,000 Haitians call the Miami metro area home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Nearly 511,000 live in Florida. In South Florida, advocates and community leaders condemned Homeland Security's decision on Friday, calling it a dangerous and wicked policy that threatens the lives of Haitians if they are forced to return there. 'Deporting Haitians back to Haiti is a kiss of death,' said U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, the federal lawmaker who represents Miami. 'This news is insanity on steroids, and it is heartbreaking to my community. We cannot send anymore people back to Haiti. This ruling is hateful, inhumane and heartless.' The Florida Immigrant Coalition said in a statement that 'Haiti is not in any shape to sustain human dignity and life, and any suggestion to the contrary is nothing but lies.' 'Forcing Haitians to return to Haiti right now is not just morally indefensible, it is a humanitarian catastrophe,' said Tessa Petit, the Haitian-born director of the coalition. One Haitian TPS holder who asked not to be named condemned the decision and emphasized the contribution of Haitian immigrants to the United States. 'These are the hands that heal you, feed you, teach your children, and serve your communities. Revoking Haitian TPS is not policy, it's humane and economic sabotage. You don't get to call people essential when it benefits you, then disposable when it doesn't,' she said. Others, like the Board of the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce in Florida, shared messages of support to those affected, which includes many Haitian families where status for different members ranges from undocumented to U.S. citizenship. 'Our community's strength has always been rooted in resilience, unity, and the pursuit of opportunity. We will continue to stand together in that spirit,' said the coalition in a statement. Homeland Security said in Friday's announcement of the termination that it 'encouraged' Haitians to self-deport. Some Haitians have previously told the Herald that they would rather risk immigration detention in the United States than return to Haiti. As part of a widespread crackdown on immigration, the Trump administration has ended humanitarian protections for immigrants from countries in turmoil, like Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti. The previous administration granted an 18-month extension of the protections in January, following a country review, because conditions in Haiti are so dangerous. Current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem rolled back the year-and-a half-long extension, a decision that is being litigated in federal courts. On Friday, the agency ended Haiti's TPS altogether. The TPS designation expires on Aug. 3, and the termination kicks into effect a month later, on Sept. 2. 'This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that Temporary Protective Status is actually temporary,' the DHS spokesperson said. Congress created TPS in 1990 as a way to grant deportation protections and work permits to people who are already in the United States and cannot return home to countries navigating war, conflict or natural disasters. The secretary of Homeland Security can designate a country for TPS, and periodically conduct a review to determine whether conditions warrant extensions of current designations or expansions that can include more people under the protections. Large swaths of Haiti, including about 90% of its capital Port-au-Prince, are under the control of criminal gangs that terrorize the population. The country is as dangerous for children as the Gaza Strip, according to a recent UN report. A lack of basic necessities, a government in collapse and a crumbling healthcare system make life extremely difficult for people in the country, which has not held elections since 2016. Mallebranche cannot imagine returning to a country in turmoil, a homeland where she hasn't stepped foot in decades. She hasn't told loved ones yet she might be deported. 'This is infuriating, not only for me, but every other person that this is now happening to. What are we supposed to do?'
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Half of Florida households struggle to make ends meet. Here are 5 takeaways
A recent study by United Way highlights the financial struggles faced by nearly half of all Floridians, despite being employed. These individuals, termed ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), earn too much to qualify for state benefits but are still living paycheck to paycheck. READ MORE: Nearly half of Floridians are living paycheck to paycheck, report finds Here are the highlights: ▪ Florida ranks fourth in the nation for residents under financial pressure, driven by an affordability crisis exacerbated by a surge of new residents post-pandemic, rising living costs and stagnant wages. ▪ Housing costs are a significant burden, with over half of renters spending at least 30% of their income on housing, and nearly 30% spending more than half. ▪ The cost of living, including child care and food, has outpaced wage growth, causing financial strain for many households, particularly those led by individuals under 25 and seniors over 65. ▪ The upcoming increase in Florida's minimum wage to $15 may inadvertently push some families over income thresholds for government assistance, worsening their financial situation due to the 'benefits cliff.' ▪ Efforts to address these issues include United Way's advocacy for affordable housing and employer-driven solutions like flexible work hours and on-site child care, which aim to alleviate financial stress and boost local economies. The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by Miami Herald journalists.
Miami Herald
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Supreme Court ruling on birthright citizenship may affect Florida babies in July
The Supreme Court ruling on Friday curbing lower courts' power to limit President Donald Trump's directive to restrict birthright citizenship could have sweeping consequences in Florida, a state with one of the largest populations of immigrants in the country. The ruling, which doesn't take effect for 30 days, could mean that as of late July, babies born in Florida to parents who are undocumented or under certain visa categories might not be entitled to U.S. citizenship by birth unless there is a direct challenge in Florida's federal courts. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told the Miami Herald in a statement that the ruling 'takes a wrecking ball to the fundamental values long held in our nation that if you are born in the United States of America, you are by birth a U.S. citizen.' In a 6-3 ruling, the court threw out nationwide injunctions from federal judges in three states that limited President Donald Trump's executive order limiting birthright citizenship while litigation is ongoing. The justices ruled that the lower courts' injunctions in those three states had been too sweeping and must be limited only to the parties that sued the Trump administration to reverse the president's citizenship order. The ruling does not weigh in on the constitutionality of Trump's arguments to limit birthright citizenship. The judges' injunctions will now only affect the jurisdictions where they were filed, leaving other states such as Florida subject to Trump's executive order. Friday's decision could have significant ramifications in Florida. One-fifth of the state's population is foreign born. Estimates also put the undocumented population between half-a-million and 1.2 million immigrants. 'The idea that a child born in the United States could be denied citizenship simply because of who their parents are strikes at the heart of our American values and our democratic ideals,' Levine Cava said. While Florida has a large Cuban population with a relatively direct path to permanent residency, it is also home to nearly one million people of mixed-status households from other nationalities — including Venezuelans, Colombians, Nicaraguans, Haitians, and Dominicans — many of whom lack a legal pathway to citizenship. Officials, community leaders and advocates from South Florida expressed dismay and horror at the Supreme Court's decision and slammed Trump's executive order as an unconstitutional proclamation that leaves certain people's rights unprotected depending on where they live. READ MORE: Supreme Court allows Trump to end birthright citizenship in some parts of the country Renata Bozzetto, deputy director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, said that the decision was not 'just about court processes, but about who gets to be Americans.' She said the 14th Amendment creates 'stability, prevents statelessness, and fosters national unity. 'This isn't governance — it's an attempt to rule by decree, to fracture our national identity, to reshape who is an American to their warped vision, and to roll back hard-fought constitutional protections,' Bozzetto added. Adelys Ferro, Miami-based executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, called the ruling a 'politically biased decision toward granting the Trump administration what it was asking for.' For Ferro, the decision will be enormously damaging to Hispanic communities in Florida. 'It's a horrific situation,' she said, describing the ruling as effectively putting the 14th Amendment on hold, which she called 'terrifying.' Thomas Kennedy, an immigrant advocate with the Florida Immigration Coalition, said he worries about the ruling's potential impact on Florida's immigrant communities. 'We'll end up with a whole generation of second-class, non-citizens being born in Florida if this ruling stands,' Kennedy said. 'The Supreme Court is creating a caste system in the U.S.' Legal experts noted that for now, nothing will immediately change because the executive order doesn't take effect right away, and legal actions against the executive order are certain to be filed in federal courts between now and then. The plaintiffs could also be deemed a national class-action group, if a federal judge in a lower court certifies that, extending protections across the country. 'This is precisely the situation that the 14th Amendment was meant to avoid. Whether you have full rights as a U.S. citizen depends on where you were born,' said Michelle Lapointe, legal director of the American Immigration Council. 'We fought a civil war over this, and then all the trials and tribulations aftewards. thought we had left this all behind in our past.'
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
‘Alligator Alcatraz' sounds more like ‘Gator Gulag' for migrants
Prison swamp I'd like to propose a better name for the immigrant detention facility some are calling 'Alligator Alcatraz.' 'Gator Gulag' has a much better ring to it. Tim Turman, Cutler Bay Camp ire Amazing how one governmental decision — the creation of a migrant detention center in the Everglades, being billed as 'Alligator Alcatraz' — can anger so many different constituencies. The decision angers environmentalists, as it destroys our precious Everglades; it angers the Miccosukee tribe, as it establishes a prison smack in the middle of their tribal lands; it angers everyone who recognizes the value of hard-working, law-abiding immigrants and abhors the unlawful treatment they are receiving; finally, it angers every taxpayer who recognizes this wastefulness, as it enriches private prison companies and the politicians they fund. Ana Alejandre Ciereszko, Miami Bahamians snubbed? Re: the June 24 editorial, 'City that immigrants built just turned its back on them.' Perhaps the Miami Herald Editorial Board overlooked that Bahamians were among the first West Indians to immigrate to the mainland U.S. in the late 19th century. Many worked in Florida's agriculture or labored in fishing, sponging and turtling in the Keys. Bahamian enclaves developed in areas such as Lemon City, Coconut Grove and Cutler. In 1896, foreign-born Blacks comprised 40 percent of Miami's Black population. Bahamians in Florida created their own institutions, most notably Episcopal churches. Black Bahamians, however, faced state-enforced racism, could not vote, were persecuted by epithets in the local press and were not allowed to stay in the hotels that employed them. In 1921, the Ku Klux Klan staged a large rally in Miami attacking Bahamian immigrants. My grandparents were among these early settlers. The editorial board's historical snub is suspect in light of statewide and nationwide efforts to rewrite or completely eliminate the presence, historical imprints and contributions of Black Americans. Rosa Osborne, Pembroke Pines No more war Re: the June 25 op-ed, 'Rubio is America's best hope in the Iran conflict.' Excellent commentary by Mary Anna Mancuso on the need to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, but at the same time avoiding a never-ending war in the Middle East or regime change. Marilin Rodon, Coral Gables A matter of trust I recently received two official notices — my motor vehicle registration renewal and my updated voter information card. What should have been routine communications from Miami-Dade County felt off. Neither featured the traditional county logo. Instead, each was re-branded with a personalized seal prominently displaying the name of the elected official — the tax collector and the supervisor of elections (whose name now arches over the word 'VOTE' in a design that resembles a campaign sticker). This isn't just a design choice — it's about power optics. When an elected official's name dominates official documents, it shifts public perception, making these offices feel less like trusted institutions and more like self-branded entities. That's especially problematic when the offices in question administer elections and tax collection — two areas where public trust is essential. By replacing the county seal with individualized branding, these new officials are blurring the lines between public service and political self-promotion and gives the impression they operate outside the bounds of government. At a time when faith in government is already fragile, this kind of self-serving design undermines trust. Cris Ascunce, Miami Shores A rare politician I don't live in New York City, never spent much time there and don't usually follow its local elections. However, when I heard about Zoran Mamdani's campaign for mayor, something stood out. He wasn't just another politician with carefully rehearsed talking points. He was honest — and that's rare. I didn't support Mamdani because of his Muslim identity. I supported him because he focused on what actually matters: working people trying to afford rent, get to work and live with dignity. He talked about the root causes of inequality and had the courage to challenge the special interests that dominate American politics. What struck me most was that he didn't hide who he was — his faith, his background. He didn't campaign on it, either. He spoke to voters as people, not demographics. That kind of leadership is needed well beyond New York. In South Florida, we're dealing with many of the same issues: unaffordable housing, failing infrastructure and political disconnection. Mamdani's win offers a glimpse of what's possible when a candidate leads with principles instead of pandering His campaign is a sign not just of change in one city, but of a shift that could ripple across the country. If we pay attention, we might realize this wasn't just his victory. It could be a turning point for all of us. Syed Ali Rahman, Davie Critical view Since Zohran Mamdani's landslide victory in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor this week, the Miami Herald has published several pieces by writers who have expressed varying shades of disgust for Mamdani's stance on whether Israel has 'the right to exist as a Jewish State.' To reiterate, Mamdani has said he believes that Israel, like all other nations, has a right to exist as a state with equal rights for all. That commentators find equal rights for all to be incompatible with the Israeli state, as they see and imagine it, says more about their own internalized approval for supremacist ideology — valuing one people over others — than anything else. To see elected officials, judges and political commentators parrot this line uncritically, especially in light of our country's own dark past with Jim Crow laws, is truly frightening — not the electoral success of a rising progressive Muslim immigrant who believes in this nation's ideals. Katherine Shehadeh, Coral Gables Highway robbery On June 17, media outlets across this state reported in detail the contents of Florida's newly passed $115.1 billion state budget. Coverage rightly highlighted numerous elements — from tax cuts and voucher expansions to emergency reserve allocations and job eliminations. No mention, however, of the men and women who patrol Florida's roadways, respond to thousands of traffic crashes, support hurricane deployments and serve as the front line for safety on our state's highways. At a time when violent crashes are increasing, staffing is at crisis levels and Troopers are being paid monthly on salaries that lag 30 years behind Florida's economic growth, the omission is glaring. While legislators debated reserves and rent taxes, the 1,700 Troopers sworn to protect the motoring public were again ignored. They received no mention in session wrap-ups, no analysis in budget overviews and certainly, no front-page attention. To claim that Florida's budget is complete when it fails to address the most visible and vulnerable layer of public safety is impossible. We respectfully urge Florida's press to correct this oversight. Tell the full story, not just the tax breaks and budget games, but the silence that continues to surround those who keep Florida free. Spencer Ross, president, Florida Highway Patrol, Orlando Job security South Florida's Congressional politicians claim to be against President Donald Trump's immigration policies. However, until they vote on the record against him, their claims mean nothing. These politicos don't dare vote against him; if they did, they would be primaried and lose their cushy jobs. Sol Yanowitz, Miami
Politico
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Miami crosses DeSantis and Uthmeier
Good morning and happy Friday. Gov. RON DESANTIS and Florida Attorney General JAMES UTHMEIER warned Miami commissioners not to delay this year's city election without voters getting a say. But on Thursday, commissioners defied them — putting themselves in the legal crosshairs of the powerful duo. The commissioners' 3-2 vote will delay the November election to 2026 so that it matches up with federal and state contests. The delay would undoubtedly boost voter turnout. Commissioner DAMIAN PARDO, who led the change, said during Thursday's meeting that voter participation could be expected to grow from around 10 percent to as much as 65 percent. And Commissioner RALPH ROSADO said a key reason he supported the move was because it would lower costs to Miami. Having an election during even-numbered years, some have argued, could also increase the quality of the candidates given the Magic City's scandal-laden reputation. A bill to move municipal elections was even introduced in the Legislature, but died in committee. Yet many see a gaping problem with the delay: It would extend the terms of the commissioners by a year, as well as that of Miami Mayor FRANCIS SUAREZ, who has already been in his role for nearly eight years and would otherwise come up against his term limit in November. (According to the Miami Herald, Suarez lobbied in support of the change.) Suarez, a short-lived 2024 Republican presidential primary candidate, has clashed with DeSantis at times and his own political future is in limbo. He has expressed interest in becoming the U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia — a revelation that got a ton more publicity in May, after he joined President DONALD TRUMP for a lunch in Riyadh and then held an 'Arabian Nights' themed Mayor's Ball. Legally, Uthmeier has determined commissioners' unilateral change violates the city's charter. He promised to consider taking 'all available actions' to stop it. But the Miami attorney's office disagreed with Uthmeier's assessment, noting that North Miami changed its elections from odd to even years in 2022. Coral Gables did the same in May, though Commissioner MELISSA CASTRO is pushing to have that reversed given what's gone down in Miami. At least half a dozen candidates have already announced they're running for Miami mayor, which is technically a nonpartisan office. Republican candidate EMILIO GONZÁLEZ — a founding member of Veterans for Trump — said he was 'outraged' by Thursday's 'illegal' move and called out Suarez for letting the decision stand rather than issue a veto. Democratic mayoral candidate EILEEN HIGGINS described the outcome as a sign of 'dysfunction,' saying that while she supported moving the elections to an even year, 'bypassing voters was wrong.' Commissioner JOE CAROLLO, who opposed delaying the election, complained that if there's a runoff (which happens when no candidates get 50 percent of the vote) then it won't happen until December 2026 — when he predicted turnout would be even more depressed. 'We all know that if this passes today it will go before the courts and end up all the way before the Supreme Court of the state of Florida,' he said. That may very well be where things are headed. And if there's anything Uthmeier has shown in the few months he's been in office, it's that whatever he does in response is sure to be attention grabbing. — Gary Fineout contributed. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget that Playbook should look at? Get in touch at: kleonard@ ... DATELINE TALLAHASSEE ... ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ QUESTIONED — State Senate Democratic Leader LORI BERMAN is criticizing the planned 'Alligator Alcatraz' immigration detention center and wants Attorney General James Uthmeier to answer questions about it. In a letter shared with POLITICO ahead of being sent Friday, Berman (D-Boynton Beach) expressed skepticism over the governor's legal authority under a 2023 state of emergency to take over the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. She also expressed scorn over the timing of the attorney general's June 19 announcement of 'Alligator Alcatraz' on social media. 'This makeshift prison camp has the potential to be a disaster for both the State of Florida and the detainees forced to reside there,' she wrote. 'The costs and impact of such a facility have yet to be studied, and as you waited to announce this project until we adjourned legislative session Sine Die, the legislature has had no chance to exercise our oversight function.' She also warned that putting detainees — many of whom she said have done nothing wrong but had their temporary protected status revoked — in a 'makeshift prison camp' could constitute prohibited 'cruel and unusual punishment.' The questions involve housing conditions for detainees, the cost to operate the facility and whether any environmental reviews have been conducted. The letter, shared with POLITICO, also was sent to DeSantis and state emergency management executive director KEVIN GUTHRIE, the state coordinator for the project. DeSantis said Thursday during a press conference in Tampa that the federal government will reimburse the state, probably far below $625 million in FEMA money available for 5,000 immigration detainee beds in Florida. Neither he nor Uthmeier have responded to concerns about inhumane conditions. 'We'll keep that cadence going if it works,' DeSantis said. 'What I'm not going to do is just us being to house and feed indefinitely just for the sake of doing that.' — Bruce Ritchie DRILL BAN — 'DeSantis signed a bill Thursday banning oil drilling near the Apalachicola River, an environmentally sensitive area where a proposed permit last year caused a political uproar,' reports POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie. 'The governor signed the measure after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 2024 proposed issuing an exploratory drilling permit to Clearwater Land & Minerals for a site 1.5 miles from the river in Calhoun County. … A state judge in April recommended DEP deny the proposed permit, saying a spill would have 'catastrophic consequences' for surrounding streams and swamps.' TUNE IN — POLITICO's Bruce Ritchie will be on 'The Florida Roundup' to discuss the beach access legislation that DeSantis signed on Tuesday. The program airs at noon on public radio stations. FINAL COUNTDOWN — With just days left before the new fiscal year starts on July 1, DeSantis said Thursday that he will sign off on the state's new budget ahead of that date. He also said that there will 'obviously' be some line-item vetoes of spending items before that happens. But there are questions about how deep and far he will go. The governor is having to move at a quicker pace this year because the budget wasn't passed until June 16 due to a legislative tug-of-war over spending levels and tax cuts. The governor said he was 'numb' from all the budget reviews he has done so far. One person familiar with the budget process in the governor's office told Playbook that 'because of the Legislature's delays and disagreements we had a significantly shortened period of time for stakeholder input on projects.' Another person also familiar with the governor's office process said that 'we had fewer than two weeks to do what normally takes place over two months.' Translation: It may not be surprising if DeSantis has a large amount of vetoes because the budget staff and the governor's top aides have not been able to talk to legislators and their staff about why their projects should get spared. DeSantis also pledged that in the next three to four days he will handle all outstanding legislation passed during Florida's bumpy and extraordinarily long session. He also hinted that he may have to veto some of the remaining bills that are on his desk. So far DeSantis has vetoed just one bill — the so-called 'free kill' bill that would have repealed a long-standing law that limits which family members can file medical malpractice lawsuits. The governor sided with health care and insurance interests who contended the measure would have increased health care costs. One of the bills that could draw the veto pen is HB 1445. The bill requires agency heads and many other appointees to be United States citizens and state residents. It would require those on university board of trustees to be a state resident or a graduate of a state university they govern. But this provision would not take effect until Jan. 6, 2027 — the day after DeSantis leaves office. During his time as governor, DeSantis has made several contentious university board appointments that include people who do not live in Florida and did not have ties to the schools they were given power over. — Gary Fineout HEMP HEADACHES — Republican leaders in Texas and Florida have vowed to place tough restrictions on the booming market for intoxicating hemp products. But those efforts have stalled due to fierce industry lobbying, a confusing legal landscape and debates over how big of a threat they pose to public safety, report POLITICO's Arek Sarkissian and Mona Zhang. The legislative failures in two of the country's biggest Republican-dominated states highlight how challenging it's become for state policymakers — as well as their counterparts in Washington — to tackle the booming market for intoxicating hemp products. The policy conundrum stems primarily from the 2018 farm bill, when Congress legalized hemp, while leaving in place the decades-old federal prohibition on marijuana — even though they're both derived from the cannabis plant. PUBLIC SCHOOL CUTS — 'School districts across Florida are attempting to slash millions from their budgets this summer as they forecast another year of enrollment declines fueled by the state's universal school choice program,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury. 'Hit with a combination of blows — fewer students, federal dollars drying up and state lawmakers passing a lean education budget — local schools are reassigning staff, freezing new hires and increasing class sizes in hopes of staving off firings. Although the Legislature committed to record high K-12 spending, most of the new money is dedicated to vouchers, leaving traditional public schools scrambling as their operational costs mount.' GOING UP AGAINST 'WOKE ACCREDIDATION CARTELS' — 'Florida's university system is partnering with five states to create a new college accreditation board aiming to shake up the market under the Trump administration,' reports POLITICO's Andrew Atterbury. 'Announced Thursday by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, the so-called Commission for Public Higher Education is already backed by leaders across dozens of campuses spanning the Texas A&M University System, the University System of Georgia, University of North Carolina System, the University of South Carolina and the University of Tennessee System.' 'But the hopeful accreditor must first score the approval from President Donald Trump's Education Department before signing with any colleges, something DeSantis is pushing to happen fast.' BETTER GRADES — Students performed better and math and reading than a year ago, new end-of-year testing scores reported by Jay Waagmeester of the Florida Phoenix show. The details: 'Math scores for all students from third grade to high school improved by 3% from 2024, with 58% of students demonstrating a level 3 or higher understanding. The county with the lowest score was Gadsden, with 35% testing at a level 3 or higher, and the highest, Nassau, with 78%.' PENINSULA AND BEYOND — 'Anxiety rises as judge mulls suit brought by Haitians with Temporary Protected Status,' by Jacqueline Charles and Jay Weaver of the Miami Herald. — 'No Pride Month recognition for Hillsborough school board this year,' reports Divya Kumar of the Tampa Bay Times. CAMPAIGN MODE THIS WEEKEND — The Conservative Political Action Conference and Latino Wall Street are pairing up for a weekend bonanza. CPAC Latino is kicking off for the very first time, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood. Some of the speakers include gubernatorial candidate Rep. BYRON DONALDS as well as Reps. MARÍA ELVIRA SALAZAR and ANNA PAULINA LUNA. There will also be panels on various topics including Hispanic leadership and cryptocurrency. Meanwhile, one new relevant finding: In 2024, DONALD TRUMP edged close to KAMALA HARRIS among Hispanic voters, 48 percent to 51 percent, the Pew Research Center reported. ODDS, ENDS AND FLORIDA MEN BIRTHDAYS: State Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman … former Rep. Jeff Miller … former secretary of the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Simone Marstiller, now with of Gunster … Pat Roberts, president and CEO of Florida Association of Broadcasters … (Saturday) Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson … journalist Brendan Farrington … (Sunday) Micky Arison, chair of the board of Carnival Corp. and owner of Miami Heat … Sarah Bascom, president of Bascom Communications … Christian Ulvert, president of EDGE Communications … Diane Moulton Adams, chief administrative officer at The Southern Group.
