The South Florida Roundup

On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup, we devoted the whole show to the realities — and myths — of our undocumented migrant workers. President Trump is out to demonize them and expel them for good. It’s not likely he can do that — but even if he could, what then? Especially in Florida, a state where today there are only 53 available workers for every 100 available jobs, and a state where undocumented migrants pay some $2 billion in taxes. Should we evict these folks, or embrace them?

Hatzel Vela, a politics reporter for NBC6, shares insights on the federal judge's ruling to close the Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention center due to legal and environmental concerns. Brian Fonseca, director at the Gordon Institute for Public Policy, discusses Florida's recent anti-LGBTQ measures, including the controversial removal of rainbow crosswalks. The conversation also delves into President Trump's proposals for U.S. military intervention in Latin America against drug cartels, examining the historical consequences and ethical dilemmas of such actions.

On the latest episode of the South Florida Roundup, we discuss why the state legislature yanked two-thirds of funding from one of South Florida’s most popular transit services, Tri-Rail (0:10). We also looked at a new federal investigation into a possible pill mill resurgence in Florida and questions surrounding the state laws that were supposed to prevent it (19:05). And we listened to why even reggaeton superstars like Bad Bunny are hopping into the salsa music revival (33:05).

On the latest episode of The South Florida, we devoted the whole hour to pick the brains of the superintendents of South Florida’s three largest schools systems: Miami-Dade County Public Schools (1:09), Broward County Public Schools (21:12) and Palm Beach County School District (39:09). And while they’re all feeling pretty good about receiving A-grades, they’ve got challenges ahead in the new school year that starts next week. Among them: stiff competition from private and charter schools, budget cuts and this new thing called A.I.

On The South Florida Roundup, we examined Monday’s traumatic collision between a barge and a sailboat in Biscayne Bay that left two children dead — and again reminded us how chaotic our local waters seem to be (01:08). We also looked at a controversial immigration arrest in Palm Beach County that mistakenly collared a young U.S. citizen — who was told he “had no rights” (19:24). And we talked with former CBS chairman and Palm Beach resident Gene Jankowski about his new media memoir (36:09).

On The South Florida Roundup, we examined a scathing new study that calls conditions in South Florida’s migrant detention centers “dehumanizing” — and getting worse as the Trump administration keeps filling them up [01:09]. We also spoke with the mayor of Broward County, whose budget is being targeted by Governor Ron DeSantis’ state version of DOGE [20:04]. And our WLRN reporters mark the centennial anniversaries of South Florida’s cities — and their rich stories, from Pearl City to Al Capone [35:27].

On this week's episode of The South Florida Roundup, we spoke with Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava about her proposed budget for the new fiscal year [1:09]. We also talked to two reporters behind Killer Train, WLRN and the Miami Herald’s new podcast and reporting series on Brightline [22:36]. And we asked how the Trump administration’s immigration agenda is affecting a South Florida assisted-living facility [37:18].

On this week's South Florida Roundup episode, we talked with the reporters who’ve heard from the first inmates at Florida’s controversial new migrant detention center out in the Everglades, Alligator Alcatraz — a place Miami-Dade County’s mayor says “is not who we are” (1:08). We also discussed how Haitians and other migrants here are coping with President Trump’s efforts to strip them of their deportation protections (20:50). And we looked at why Key West did a 180 on partnering with the feds on immigration (35:45).

On The South Florida Roundup for this Fourth of July weekend, we revisited our Memorial Day weekend conversation with Miami native Edda Fields-Black about her Pulitzer Prize-winning history of Harriet Tubman and a pivotal Civil War raid (01:08). We also examined Lucy’s Law, which strengthens the state’s boating codes after Luciana Fernandez’s tragic death (19:34). And we looked at how we measure patriotism — and why Florida keeps finishing near the bottom in one patriotism survey (34:18).

On The South Florida Roundup, we looked at Alligator Alcatraz which has gone from out-there idea to reality in less than a week. Miami-Dade County is pushing back and so are environmental groups as construction begins in the Everglades [01:09]. We also headed to Fort Lauderdale, where Sistrunk Boulevard, a historically Black neighborhood in the city’s downtown, is hailed as a development darling, but is all that new growth hurting the people who live there [19:19]? And, we discussed a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that may have a chilling effect on gender affirming care nationwide. How does that impact the community in South Florida [37:11]?