South Florida leaders react to U.S. bombing Iran + Democrats reconvene, look to stop the bleeding + GOP starts to criticize Trump's immigration crackdown
While Democrats are taking a more cautious tone than their GOP counterparts, most of the South Florida congressional delegation is either celebrating the attack on Iran or at least avoiding criticism. Here are the reactions so far.
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING
Florida Democrats reconvene: At Leadership Blue, an annual Democratic conference that took place on Saturday, party leaders agreed on one thing: they have a messaging problem, and President Donald Trump might help them solve it.
What happened to the year of affordability? Florida's legislative leaders had plans to tackle the high costs of housing, property insurance and taxes. The House speaker wanted $5 billion in sales-tax relief. The governor proposed a plan to eliminate property taxes. The Senate president called for hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to spark a 'rural renaissance' in Florida. But in the end, their $115 billion budget mostly gave tax breaks to businesses. The sales-tax proposal never came to fruition. The Senate bill outlining a study on property-tax relief went nowhere. The Senate president's rural renaissance legislation was cut in negotiations.
Uthmeier found in contempt of court: A Miami federal judge overseeing a major immigration case found Attorney General James Uthmeier in contempt of court for violating her restraining order to stop enforcing a new state law that criminalizes undocumented immigrants when they arrive in Florida. As part of his punishment, he must file bi-weekly reports over the next six months.
Judge could get tougher if he violates order: Legal experts interviewed by the Miami Herald said U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams, the Miami judge overseeing the case, could fine Uthmeier up to $1,000 or send him to jail for up to six months, or both, as punishment.
Uthmeier calls for feds to 'denaturalize' congresswoman: Florida's attorney general said Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota congresswoman, should be deported after she criticized the Trump administration's decision to spend millions to hold a military parade.
Moody faces a challenger: Josh Weil, a Florida Democrat who earned national attention by raising millions in grassroots donations during an April special election, has announced his next steps: challenging Ashley Moody for her Florida seat in the U.S. Senate.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
Will Miami move city election without voter input? The Miami City Commission this week is scheduled to take a final vote on a proposal to move the city from odd- to even-year elections, canceling the upcoming November election and pushing it to 2026 without voter approval. The state has pitted the city against Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida attorney general.
Miami Republicans push back on Trump's immigration plans: In letters, public statements and social media posts, Republican lawmakers from Miami are pushing back on Trump's mass deportation efforts. Some of his most loyal Cuban-American backers are joining the chorus.
Gimenez visits South Florida immigration detention centers: Rep. Carlos Gimenez became the first Republican federal lawmaker and the latest member of Florida's congressional delegation to visit South Florida facilities that house immigration detainees. He said he did not see any 'deplorable' conditions, but confirmed an incident where detention officers used force against a group of immigrant detainees.
Miami votes to partner with ICE: After hours of commentary from residents expressing opposition, city commissioners in Miami voted in favor of entering an immigration enforcement agreement with ICE, deputizing police officers in South Florida's largest city with immigration enforcement powers.
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 aceballos@miamiherald.com or message me @anaceballos_.
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