Latest news with #Bahamians
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Making the City Beautiful: How Bahamians built the iconic Venetian Pool — and Coral Gables
On a hot afternoon last August, the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables seemed almost idyllic. Little kids swam under the waterfall and into a cave. Their parents sunbathed under lush palm trees. With two towers and a bridge, the 60,000-square-foot Venetian Pool built from coral rock is best known for its iconic Mediterranean Revival aesthetic, akin to that of Venice, Italy. The Venetian Pool is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a distinction city officials have long sought to maintain, and it annually attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. Long before it became one of South Florida's most popular tourist attractions, it was an eyesore. Originally a quarry in the early 1920s, it was the source of much of the coral rock used to build homes and structures in the city. What was left after removing the rock was a large pit that wasn't very attractive to potential home buyers and developers. The solution: transform the pit into a pool. The people who quarried the coral rock to build many buildings in Coral Gables and the Venetian Pool more than a century ago were expert stonemasons from the Bahamas. Bahamians' contributions to Coral Gables, particularly their quality craftsmanship in building the city, are being highlighted this year during the city's centennial celebration. While the Venetian Pool represents the grandeur of their artistry, the two small neighborhoods where they lived showcase the durability of their work: the Golden Gate and MacFarlane Homestead subdivisions — built by both Bahamians and Black Southerners during racial segregation — feature original century-old homes in the Bahamian bungalow and shotgun wood-frame styles. All of them have survived despite hurricanes and the test of time. The Venetian Pool first opened in 1924, a year before the city was incorporated, under the name 'Venetian Casino.' It debuted with Jan Garber's orchestra playing poolside. Another draw: Orator William Jennings Bryan spoke at the pool. He was a former secretary of state who ran for president three times and served in Congress. It quickly became a popular attraction. 'The Venetian Pool was more than just the community pool, it was also a way to attract ... developers and people to purchase their homes,' said Coral Gables City Manager Carolina Vester, who started her career with the city over 20 years ago as a lifeguard at the pool and later worked as its manager. '[Coral Gables founder] George Merrick set forth big attraction events where people were coming in to purchase property, and he had to entertain them,' she said. The Venetian Pool hosted beauty contests, dance performances and aquatic shows. Jackie Ott 'The Aqua Tot' was one of many celebrities who performed. He started at the age of 4, dressing up, swimming, aquaplaning and diving through fire hoops. The pool would often also become a makeshift amphitheater where opera singers and orchestras would perform at the bottom of the drained pool. On the city's 90th anniversary, the Miami Symphony Orchestra recreated one of those music performances, assembling on the pool floor. ' Not much has actually changed of how it looked a hundred years ago to what it looks like today,' Vester said. 'And that's the beauty of preservation.' During a $2 million renovation in 1987, a 10-foot tall diving board was removed. Also, pumps were installed to recirculate water. 'We actually drain and fill the pool every single night from Memorial Day to Labor Day,' Vester said. 'That's about 820,000 gallons of water, and we don't waste it. ... We have two injection wells across the street, and they inject the water at high velocity back down into the aquifer about a hundred feet underground.' The water naturally percolates through the limestone bedrock, which acts as a filter, before it reaches the Biscayne Aquifer, Vester said. 'So we're constantly recirculating the water, both manually and naturally,' she said. 'That's very, very unique to the pool. This pool is one of a kind.' In preparation for the city's centennial anniversary celebrations, the pool has been undergoing renovations since October. It is scheduled to reopen this summer. Many locals know little about the Bahamian people who quarried the rock to build Coral Gables. At the turn of the 20th century, a large portion of Miami's Black population was from the Bahamas. Many farmers from there would travel seasonally to South Florida to work the region's agricultural crops. 'As laborers, they built churches and residences, hotels and businesses for Coral Gables, 'The City Beautiful,'' said Dorothy Jenkins Fields, a Bahamian descendant and founder of the Black Archives Foundation. 'I'm always so proud to be able to say that, because we were a big part of making it beautiful — not only with the construction, but also with the gardens and the landscaping.' Entrepreneurs advertised their construction projects in Bahamian newspapers to attract workers. The site where Coral Gables Senior High School is today was once a tent city for construction workers. By the 1920s, Bahamians became essential to the local economy. READ MORE: 'Long overdue': Historic marker celebrates Black community that helped establish Coral Gables 'These early pioneers knew how to use lumber to construct buildings, but they had no idea of how to deal with coral rock, which is the foundation of South Florida,' while Bahamians had experience using coral rock back home, said Marvin Dunn, a retired and renowned local historian and author of Black Miami in the Twentieth Century. Many houses as well as structures around the city — like the Alhambra and Douglas entrances — were built with coral rock. During this time of racial segregation and institutionalized racism, Bahamian workers faced many challenges here, including exploitation, unsafe working conditions and even displacement. 'There were no protections against accidents or injuries. Some people, in the course of building Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, died in accidents. No compensation. The amount of pay was barely above the level to sustain a family,' Dunn told WLRN. Bahamians and Black Southerners who had been living near the University of Miami were pushed out to make way for student dormitories. As part of a deal with Merrick and the university, community members moved across U.S. 1 to an area now known as the Golden Gate and MacFarlane Homestead subdivisions. ' In the mornings they would work for George Merrick. ... And in the afternoons they would come, and they would build their homes,' said Carl Leon Prime, president of the Lola B. Walker Homeowners Association and third-generation Macfarlane Homestead resident. In his neighborhood, there are 36 original bungalow and shotgun-style houses with apparent Bahamian influences that have survived for more than a century. Many are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 'It shows real craftsmanship and attention to detail that you can't get anywhere else,' Prime said. Today, many residents of those communities are descendants of the neighborhoods' pioneering families. Leigh Cooper-Willis, 34, grew up in Golden Gate, like generations in her family before her. '[My family] came to work for George Merrick, and then they lived in this house,' said Cooper-Willis, a fourth-generation descendant. 'And then my grandfather was born on that property. Then my mother, and now I live there with my family, [with] my son.' Prime also lives in the house that his grandfather built in 1936 at another location and moved to the current spot two years later. ' We can tell the family history in the avocado trees in the yard,' Prime said. When his grandfather moved the house, a tree was already planted there. Near it is the tree that his father planted and, between them, is the avocado tree that Prime planted himself as a child. Earlier this year, the city of Coral Gables celebrated the predominantly Black neighborhood bordering Coconut Grove for its historic contributions in marking its centennial. In an opinion letter published by the Miami Herald, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago mentioned the commission will further honor this legacy by commissioning a public sculpture to be installed at Merrick Park across from City Hall.
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Yankees keep rehabbing reliever in minors to work his way back to MLB shape
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free The oft-injured Scott Effross is no longer technically rehabbing, but his status has not truly changed as the righty will continue to pitch in the minor leagues and attempt to work his way up to The Bronx. Effross' rehab clock ran out Sunday, when he was returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the 15-day injured list but optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Advertisement The Yankees want to see more from Effross, who had pitched 3 ¹/₃ scoreless innings in three games in the Florida Coast League and with Double-A Somerset before allowing two runs on four hits with Somerset on Saturday. Scott Effross has finished his rehab from a spring hamstring injury, but is staying in Triple-A to work his way back into form. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'Really, it's about him pitching and stacking days and weeks to where you start to get that polish again,' manager Aaron Boone said before finishing the Subway Series in The Bronx. 'Hopefully, he can do that and put himself in a position to be in the mix.' Advertisement Effross' injuries have been numerous and cruel. The Yankees dealt for the righty at the 2022 deadline, and he impressed (2.13 ERA in 13 games) before requiring Tommy John surgery. While rehabbing the elbow, he underwent back surgery in December 2023. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS He made it back to the majors last September, but for only three games. His stuff was particularly encouraging this spring, but he strained his hamstring during his first game in the Grapefruit League. Advertisement He suffered a setback with the hamstring in early April, but it is now his stuff and crispness that need to return rather than his health. Scott Effross returned from 2022 Tommy John surgery to pitch in three games at the end of 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post The Yankees, who boosted their bullpen this weekend by activating Jonathan Loáisiga, have a strong group that perhaps Effross, who owns a great sweeper, can join with a better minor league showing. 'Keep going, going stacking,' Boone said of the message to Effross. Advertisement Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters JT Brubaker, who broke three ribs while trying to avoid a comebacker in camp, began a rehab assignment with High-A Hudson Valley. Chisholm (oblique strain) took ground balls at second and hit in the cage. The infielder also chatted for a long while with Mets first base coach Antoan Richardson. They are both Bahamians. — Additional reporting by Mark W. Sanchez
.png&w=3840&q=100)
Miami Herald
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Making the City Beautiful: How Bahamians built the iconic Venetian Pool — and Coral Gables
On a hot afternoon last August, the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables seemed almost idyllic. Little kids swam under the waterfall and into a cave. Their parents sunbathed under lush palm trees. With two towers and a bridge, the 60,000-square-foot Venetian Pool built from coral rock is best known for its iconic Mediterranean Revival aesthetic, akin to that of Venice, Italy. The Venetian Pool is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a distinction city officials have long sought to maintain, and it annually attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. Long before it became one of South Florida's most popular tourist attractions, it was an eyesore. Originally a quarry in the early 1920s, it was the source of much of the coral rock used to build homes and structures in the city. What was left after removing the rock was a large pit that wasn't very attractive to potential home buyers and developers. The solution: transform the pit into a pool. The people who quarried the coral rock to build many buildings in Coral Gables and the Venetian Pool more than a century ago were expert stonemasons from the Bahamas. Bahamians' contributions to Coral Gables, particularly their quality craftsmanship in building the city, are being highlighted this year during the city's centennial celebration. While the Venetian Pool represents the grandeur of their artistry, the two small neighborhoods where they lived showcase the durability of their work: the Golden Gate and MacFarlane Homestead subdivisions — built by both Bahamians and Black Southerners during racial segregation — feature original century-old homes in the Bahamian bungalow and shotgun wood-frame styles. All of them have survived despite hurricanes and the test of time. The Venetian Pool comes alive with entertainment acts The Venetian Pool first opened in 1924, a year before the city was incorporated, under the name 'Venetian Casino.' It debuted with Jan Garber's orchestra playing poolside. Another draw: Orator William Jennings Bryan spoke at the pool. He was a former secretary of state who ran for president three times and served in Congress. It quickly became a popular attraction. 'The Venetian Pool was more than just the community pool, it was also a way to attract ... developers and people to purchase their homes,' said Coral Gables City Manager Carolina Vester, who started her career with the city over 20 years ago as a lifeguard at the pool and later worked as its manager. '[Coral Gables founder] George Merrick set forth big attraction events where people were coming in to purchase property, and he had to entertain them,' she said. The Venetian Pool hosted beauty contests, dance performances and aquatic shows. Jackie Ott 'The Aqua Tot' was one of many celebrities who performed. He started at the age of 4, dressing up, swimming, aquaplaning and diving through fire hoops. The pool would often also become a makeshift amphitheater where opera singers and orchestras would perform at the bottom of the drained pool. On the city's 90th anniversary, the Miami Symphony Orchestra recreated one of those music performances, assembling on the pool floor. ' Not much has actually changed of how it looked a hundred years ago to what it looks like today,' Vester said. 'And that's the beauty of preservation.' During a $2 million renovation in 1987, a 10-foot tall diving board was removed. Also, pumps were installed to recirculate water. 'We actually drain and fill the pool every single night from Memorial Day to Labor Day,' Vester said. 'That's about 820,000 gallons of water, and we don't waste it. ... We have two injection wells across the street, and they inject the water at high velocity back down into the aquifer about a hundred feet underground.' The water naturally percolates through the limestone bedrock, which acts as a filter, before it reaches the Biscayne Aquifer, Vester said. 'So we're constantly recirculating the water, both manually and naturally,' she said. 'That's very, very unique to the pool. This pool is one of a kind.' In preparation for the city's centennial anniversary celebrations, the pool has been undergoing renovations since October. It is scheduled to reopen this summer. Bahamian workers built The City Beautiful Many locals know little about the Bahamian people who quarried the rock to build Coral Gables. At the turn of the 20th century, a large portion of Miami's Black population was from the Bahamas. Many farmers from there would travel seasonally to South Florida to work the region's agricultural crops. 'As laborers, they built churches and residences, hotels and businesses for Coral Gables, 'The City Beautiful,'' said Dorothy Jenkins Fields, a Bahamian descendant and founder of the Black Archives Foundation. 'I'm always so proud to be able to say that, because we were a big part of making it beautiful — not only with the construction, but also with the gardens and the landscaping.' Entrepreneurs advertised their construction projects in Bahamian newspapers to attract workers. The site where Coral Gables Senior High School is today was once a tent city for construction workers. By the 1920s, Bahamians became essential to the local economy. READ MORE: 'Long overdue': Historic marker celebrates Black community that helped establish Coral Gables 'These early pioneers knew how to use lumber to construct buildings, but they had no idea of how to deal with coral rock, which is the foundation of South Florida,' while Bahamians had experience using coral rock back home, said Marvin Dunn, a retired and renowned local historian and author of Black Miami in the Twentieth Century. Many houses as well as structures around the city — like the Alhambra and Douglas entrances — were built with coral rock. During this time of racial segregation and institutionalized racism, Bahamian workers faced many challenges here, including exploitation, unsafe working conditions and even displacement. 'There were no protections against accidents or injuries. Some people, in the course of building Coconut Grove and Coral Gables, died in accidents. No compensation. The amount of pay was barely above the level to sustain a family,' Dunn told WLRN. Bahamians and Black Southerners who had been living near the University of Miami were pushed out to make way for student dormitories. As part of a deal with Merrick and the university, community members moved across U.S. 1 to an area now known as the Golden Gate and MacFarlane Homestead subdivisions. ' In the mornings they would work for George Merrick. ... And in the afternoons they would come, and they would build their homes,' said Carl Leon Prime, president of the Lola B. Walker Homeowners Association and third-generation Macfarlane Homestead resident. In his neighborhood, there are 36 original bungalow and shotgun-style houses with apparent Bahamian influences that have survived for more than a century. Many are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 'It shows real craftsmanship and attention to detail that you can't get anywhere else,' Prime said. Today, many residents of those communities are descendants of the neighborhoods' pioneering families. Leigh Cooper-Willis, 34, grew up in Golden Gate, like generations in her family before her. '[My family] came to work for George Merrick, and then they lived in this house,' said Cooper-Willis, a fourth-generation descendant. 'And then my grandfather was born on that property. Then my mother, and now I live there with my family, [with] my son.' Prime also lives in the house that his grandfather built in 1936 at another location and moved to the current spot two years later. ' We can tell the family history in the avocado trees in the yard,' Prime said. When his grandfather moved the house, a tree was already planted there. Near it is the tree that his father planted and, between them, is the avocado tree that Prime planted himself as a child. Earlier this year, the city of Coral Gables celebrated the predominantly Black neighborhood bordering Coconut Grove for its historic contributions in marking its centennial. In an opinion letter published by the Miami Herald, Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago mentioned the commission will further honor this legacy by commissioning a public sculpture to be installed at Merrick Park across from City Hall.
Forbes
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Food, Wine, And Fete Festival Brings Caribbean Flair And Soca To Miami
Chef Paul, Carla Hill, and Soca Chef King Bubba Food, Wine, and Fete If you're looking for an excuse to live your best Caribbean life without leaving the beaches of Miami, this is the festival for you. Miami's premier Caribbean all-inclusive beachside Soca Fete experience, Food, Wine, and Fete is set for Saturday, May 17th, 2025 from 5 to 11 pm at the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park's Grand Pavilion. Back for its third year, this festival offers an immersive journey into the heart of Caribbean culture. It's a sensory explosion that will have you immediately craving an island getaway. "Food, Wine, and Fete isn't just an event; it's our love letter to the culture that we treasure so dearly,' says Vanessa James, co-founder of Food, Wine, and Fete. 'It's about igniting that longing for home, that yearning for the warmth of our islands, unrivaled anywhere else in the world.' Miami thrives as a vibrant cultural melting pot, with the Caribbean deeply woven into its heart. From the Bahamians who were instrumental in building the Magic City to the rich tapestry of Little Haiti and the broader Caribbean diaspora flourishing throughout South Florida, Food, Wine, and Fete is immensely proud to be a central hub where Caribbean chefs and culinary innovators have found their festival home. This annual festival gives these chefs a chance to showcase the brilliance of their food and the electrifying energy of their culture and cuisine. 'We're a small but growing platform, and honestly, we're just so grateful for the chance to really shine a light on these incredible rising stars and the amazing Caribbean diaspora that makes Miami so special,' says James. The first-of-its-kind all-inclusive Food, Wine, and Fete debuted in 2019 to a sold-out crowd of 500 foodies and Soca aficionados with a similar passion for celebrating Caribbean culture. Now in its third year, Food, Wine, and Fete continues to shine a spotlight on talented chefs, innovative mixologists, and trendsetting tastemakers. 'It's a shared experience, where we all come together as one Caribbean family. From the moment you arrive, you'll be part of something truly special, an interactive celebration that ignites the spirit of our culture. And most importantly, get ready to FETE – to dance, wine, taste, and celebrate the boundless energy that makes us who we are - one incredible diaspora,' says Marcos Rodriguez, co-founder of the festival. As proud children of the Caribbean, this legacy project is Vanessa and Marcos' unique way of highlighting the diverse Caribbean diaspora and its many touch points including travel, music, food, and live culinary experiences. 'We're elated to see demand for the festival grow and are anticipating welcoming 1000+ patrons to this year's fete experience,' says James. 'We're also excited to partner with Historic Virginia Key Beach Park for the first time as our host location and with LunaLite Drone show technologies, who will light up the Miami sky with their one-of-a-kind drone show to close this year's celebration.' This year's line up of culinary stars includes James Beard winner, Chef Irie, who will return as this year's culinary ambassador, plus Emmy award-winning chef Simeon Hall, Jr, Troy Tingling of SoulFly Chicken, Barbados-born Paul Griffith, and more. 'Tourism partners and diaspora founders are integral to this experience,' says James. 'We're thrilled to host Pure Grenada for the first time, presenting a delightful array of spice island treasures. Joining us from The Bahamas is chef Simeon Hall Jr., who will lead a live cooking demo featuring a seafood spectacular and in true Food, Wine and Fete signature style, our artists hit the kitchen to cook things up as well, so we're honored to have Trinidadian Soca artist Farmer Nappy join our culinary ambassador Chef Irie during his demo before hitting the stage to perform his hits live.' The lineup also puts a spotlight on black wine and spirits founders. 'We're excited to welcome back La Fete Rose and, for the first time, Bajan 1966 Rum and Duke & Dame Whiskey are joining the fete'n fun – all three founded by creatives of the diaspora,' says James. Also new for the 2025 Festival is an official VIP area where patrons can enjoy complimentary gifts, elevated cocktails, premium liquor, and two live chef demos from Chef Paul of Barbados and Chef Kimesha Chong of Trinidad and Tobago. The driving force behind any true Caribbean fete? Soca! Prepare to move your waistline from the get-go — which will be easy with the Festival's well curated music lineup featuring Farmer Nappy, plus DJ Spice, LL Cool Blaze, EJ Eternal Vibes, and DJ Sinister. "As we prepare to celebrate 80 years of all things Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, we are excited for the return of Food, Wine & Fete to host an incredible experience celebrating Caribbean culture through its chefs, artists, and community,' says Athalie Edwards, executive director and CEO of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. 'Through this partnership, we look to celebrate the diverse cultures of South Florida with a focus on community engagement, promoting local tourism and economic growth through the support of international culinary artisans.' This year, Food Wine & Fete has added a philanthropic arm of the event to support Caribbean creatives, chefs, and businesses of the diaspora, by partnering with the Miami Foundation. Together they've created VJMedia x FWF Culture and Caribbean Leadership Fund. Tickets for Food, Wine, and Fete are on sale now and can be purchased via Eventbrite starting at $125 and $185 for VIP. The festival has partnered with Hilton Garden Inn Miami Brickell South to provide reduced group rates for those visiting from out of town or those looking to make a staycation adventure out of the weekend.
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The tropical vacation paradise hiding an ominous secret
Illegal migrants are using the white sandy shores of the Bahamas as a 'springboard' to enter the United States, experts revealed. The tropical vacation paradise has become a hotbed of illegal migration and human trafficking due to its proximity to South Florida and abundance of recreational boats. Some of the Bahamas' more than 700 islands are only 50 miles from Florida's coastline, but the treacherous waters can make it a dangerous journey. However, Customs and Border Protection has been trying to crack down on the illicit trafficking. On Thursday, a federal district judge in Miami sentenced a Bahamian national, Keith Kevin Russell, 46, to 20 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to alien smuggling in January. On November 8, CBP officers had stopped Russell while he was transporting 18 migrants on his boat from The Bahamas to the United States. The migrants on the vessel were from China, Haiti, Jamaica and the Bahamas, and all of them did not have authorization to enter the United States. 'Normally, when we think of maritime migration, we think about Haiti or Cuba, maybe the Dominican Republic, but the unknown in that equation is the Bahamas,' retired Rear Adm. Peter Brown told Fox News Digital. 'The Bahamas presents a special case, not so much because Bahamians want to get to the U.S., although a few do, but because the Bahamas ends up being a springboard for others who want to reach the U.S.' Brown, a former Homeland Security advisor to President Donald Trump, explained that the island nation attracts migrants from across the globe due to its lax visa laws. 'The Bahamas' economy is so dependent on tourism they offer visa-free travel to citizens of 160 different countries around the world,' he said. 'The difference is that the Bahamas offers visa-free travel to people from Russia, people from El Salvador, Guatemala, from Venezuela, from Nicaragua, from Jamaica, from Brazil. And there are many people from those countries who want to come to the United States.' Visa-free travel to the Bahamas allows people to enter the island nation legally then use it's shore to attempt illegal entry into the U.S. In February, the Coast Guard returned 31 migrants of mixed nationalities to The Bahamas following three interdictions of illegal maritime ventures in U.S. territorial waters east of Miami. During one of the intercepts, one migrant was medically evacuated ashore for a higher level of care. 'Illegal maritime migration is always dangerous and often deadly, and human smugglers do not care about the safety or lives of aliens during these ventures,' said Lt. Cmdr. John W. Beal, Seventh Coast Guard District public affairs officer. 'Our message is simple – do not entrust your lives and money to criminal human smugglers just to be repatriated or deported. Don't take to the sea.' Brown warned that illegal entering the United States through water channels from the Bahamas can be deadly. 'Thousands try, hundreds die, because every year we see multiple cases of folks capsizing, running aground and people drowning,' he said. 'And it's very unfortunate. And so the deterrence message actually saves lives.' 'If we can, by deterrence, prevent people from ever setting sail, from hiring a migrant smuggler who has no regard for human life, if we can do that, then we'll save lives, and we'll reduce the number of these dangerous ventures.' In January 2022, a boat carrying 39 migrants capsized in a suspected human smuggling incident. The sole known survivor was rescued by a commercial mariner who spotted them clinging to the overturned vessel, reported NBC News. A recent report from U.S. Customs and Border Protection found the total migrant encounters in the Miami Sector rose from 2.77 million in 2022 to a peak of 3.2 million in 2023, before slightly decreasing to 2.9 million in 2024. As of March, fiscal 2025, there have been 531,440 encounters recorded. The U.S. State Department 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report on the Bahamas said traffickers recruit victims from Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, PRC, Costa Rica, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela and the Philippines under the false premise of employment. 'What often happens is that people paying migrant smugglers are already part of the community on the Florida side, funding the journey for a relative, family member or friend to reach the United States,' Brown said. 'This is frequently accompanied by a form of indentured servitude, where migrants must work to repay the smugglers, creating a cycle of crime that often goes unnoticed.'
