Politics
Alcatraz shuttered? — crypto — 2A fight — biblical — El Salvador
Alligator overruns
Critics of Alligator Alcatraz initially sought to shutter the facility through protests and litigation. Now, the tents may finally come down — not due to legal pressure, but because of exorbitant operating costs.
Both Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pushed back on reports about tension over who will foot the significant bills for the immigration detention center set up at an Everglades airstrip last year. But both also acknowledged conversations underway about whether the temporary facility had run its course.
“We knew it would take some time for them to stand it up, but ultimately, our goal on this was for that facility to be a bridge to DHS being able to do this ourselves,” DeSantis told the press.
“If they are able to handle that so that you’re not releasing thousands of people, if they can handle that, then yeah, that would be great for us to break that facility down.”
While the center — comprising climate-controlled tents housing roughly 1,400 detainees — was never intended to be permanent, its opening just eight months ago was treated as a national event. DeSantis personally gave President Donald Trump and then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a tour of the Collier County setup.
It wasn’t long before “Alligator Alcatraz” logos and cartoons appeared on T-shirts at Republican events. The state created an official road sign to mark its location, a site that attracted both supporters and protesters, who posted pictures on social media. Just as big a news event, Democrats in the delegation showed up en masse for a scheduled visit, though they ended up with their own guided tour.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Weston Democrat, later toured the facility in an unscheduled visit and found conditions unacceptable.
Throughout the objections and celebrations, the cost always loomed.
Before the federal shutdown last Fall, DHS issued a $608 million check to the state for the facility. But The New York Times reported that the money has not yet been delivered. Meanwhile, facility expenses have continued to pile up, and private vendors have said they are struggling to provide up-front costs.
DeSantis’ comments on Thursday followed reporting by The Times that an operating budget of $1 million a day had sparked discussions about shuttering the facility. They also came after Noem was fired from her job, reportedly over wasting money on marketing Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. New DHS Security Markwayne Mullin officially took over in March.
A DHS spokesperson, in comments to Florida Politics, denied any reports that the Trump administration was pressuring Florida to close Alligator Alcatraz and called the detention facility an overall success. Officials say some 22,000 undocumented aliens were processed and deported over its lifespan.
But the agency also acknowledged the center was always ephemeral.
“Florida continues to be a valuable partner in advancing President Trump’s immigration agenda, and DHS appreciates their support,” the spokesperson said. “DHS continuously evaluates detention needs and requirements to ensure they meet the latest operational requirements.”
DHS also said it would carefully review any state requests for federal reimbursement. DeSantis said based on conversations with White House Border Czar Tom Homan, the state would receive money “very shortly.”
Wasserman Schultz, for her part, suggested that closing the institution can’t happen fast enough.
“My surprise visit last month to this despicable facility uncovered inhumane conditions,” she posted. “It’s disgusting for Trump and DeSantis to cram people with no criminal history into cages, costing Florida taxpayers $1 million per day. This wasteful cruelty must stop immediately.”
Decentralized crypto
The Solana Policy Institute hosted a conference in Miami, where Sen. Rick Scott participated in a panel on cryptocurrency. Alongside House Minority Whip Tom Emmer, a Minnesota Republican, Scott spoke out against the prospect of a central bank digital currency.
“If you don’t trust government, there’s no way you should allow the federal government to have a digital currency,” said Scott, a Naples Republican.
That was a theme that also arose during a similar crypto conversation at a summit Scott hosted in Washington last year. At this panel, moderated by Coinbase, Scott voiced support for the Clarity Act, which would ban a central currency.
“In my business life, my biggest problem was always government. And the reason government is a problem is because there’s uncertainty,” Scott said.
“When we don’t have certainty, it makes it very difficult in business to actually do anything. … We ought to allow competition, and we’ll get innovation, and people will bring the technology back to the United States.”
Emmer, for his part, supported a policy that heavily restricted the implementation of digital currency.
“Unless and until you can develop a central bank digital currency that emulates cash, which means open, transparent, and private with a capital ‘P’ — they can’t do that right now — they should never be able to create a central bank digital currency,” he said. “Because, as we’ve seen with the digital yuan, the Chinese are using it to build social scores. They are tracking their citizens and their purchases, their lifestyle. That is as anti-American as it gets.”
To watch Scott on the panel, please click the image below:
Honoring the troops
May is National Military Appreciation Month, and Sen. Ashley Moody took the occasion to send a video message to those serving in uniform and stationed in the Sunshine State.
“I want to take a moment to recognize the brave men and women who serve our nation. From those currently in uniform to our veterans, their sacrifices make our freedoms possible,” the Plant City Republican said. “I will always fight in Washington to ensure they have the support, resources, and respect they’ve earned.”
She also noted the heavy military presence in Florida, which is home to 20 military installations, including U.S. Southern Command, Central Command and Special Operations Command. Those institutions mean 20,000 active-duty personnel live in Florida, as do 1.5 million veterans, the third-highest population in the country.
Moody’s Office fought to secure $851 million in the National Defense Authorization Act for Florida bases, she said, and for projects like the Golden Dome missile defense system to be developed in the state. She serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
To watch Moody’s message, please click the image below:
Two Florida members of Congress were part of an effort to push the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to revise its policies on lawful firearm carrying in federally managed lands. Both Reps. Brian Mast and Jimmy Patronis signed onto a letter bearing the signatures of 24 House members, all Republicans.
“I’ve always fought to defend the Second Amendment. It is a fundamental constitutional right, not a privilege that changes from one place to another,” said Patronis, a Fort Walton Beach Republican.
Americans shouldn’t have to navigate conflicting rules just to exercise that right. I’m grateful for Congressman Fallon’s leadership and proud to stand with my colleagues in defending the freedoms so many Americans have fought to protect.”
The letter, led by Rep. Pat Fallon, a Texas Republican, said there should not be a complicated patchwork of laws on federal lands, whether at National Parks or on public land owned by the Bureau of Land Management.
“Public lands in the United States form a complex, weblike environment, often spanning multiple agencies and jurisdictions, and without clear boundaries,” the letter reads. “Hikers on trails like the Appalachian Trail, boaters on shared waterways, or campers near federal borders frequently cross multiple times from one agency’s domain to another, unbeknownst to them. And while most federal agencies respect the lawful exercise of Second Amendment rights on their managed lands, it is a different story for USACE-managed lands.”
Bible ranking
Florida’s Republican-heavy congressional delegation is merely average when it comes to delivering what faith-based employers want, according to the Christian Employers Alliance’s (CEA) Congressional Biblical Business Index.
The rankings represent what the CEA calls “a network of more than 30,000 faith-based employers across all 50 states — including many of the nation’s largest faith-based organizations.” The Sunshine State is neither heaven nor hell, but somewhere in between.
Florida comes in at a middling 25th place, falling four spots from the previous year, and tying for the third-worst drop in “biblical alignment,” with Iowa and Connecticut.
The CEA said it “examined the voting records of all 535 members of Congress, ultimately ranking all 50 state congressional delegations on their alignment with the ‘biblically based position’ by tallying more than 82,000 votes cast by lawmakers” and by “applying a clearly defined methodology grounded in Scripture, limited government, and long-standing Judeo-Christian social principles.”
Six Florida members of Congress were among the top 51 on the index, including Scott and, from most to least biblical, Reps. Greg Steube, Byron Donalds, Anna Paulina Luna, Aaron Bean and Kat Cammack.
Sloth justice
Rep. Maxwell Frost is demanding accountability for 55 dead sloths and the surviving 10 “on the brink right now” from the Sloth World controversy.
Frost called for better coordination between the federal government and the states, as well as closing a loophole to keep future commercial facilities from opening.
The Orlando Democrat spoke at a recent news conference at the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which was caring for 13 surviving sloths from the failed Orlando attraction.
The Sanford zoo later announced several of the animals had to be euthanized because they were in critical condition.
Maxwell said his Office got involved after receiving “hundreds of messages from constituents” after the news broke about the animals dying when they were shipped to the United States from the jungle or after they were stored in an Orlando warehouse.
He contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make sure Sloth World’s permit was denied so it could never open. He also wants to close the loophole to keep future commercial facilities from opening.
“Right now, you don’t need a permit from the federal government until your facility is open,” Maxwell said.
El Salvador trip
A congressional recess meant a trip to El Salvador for Luna, who traveled to the Latin American nation as one of the co-Chairs of the El Salvador Caucus.
“It was an absolute honor to meet with Nayib Bukele in El Salvador on behalf of the U.S. El Salvador Caucus and witness firsthand the incredible progress the country is making in education, economic growth, and business development,” the St. Petersburg Republican posted.
“The window of opportunity in El Salvador has never been greater, and the future is bright thanks to the bold leadership of President Bukele.”
For his part, Bukele welcomed the trip. “The honor was ours. You are always welcome in our country,” he posted in response to Luna.
She also shared a video shot of an education center there.
“The greatest part of my visit to El Salvador was witnessing firsthand the incredible strides they’re making in education. President Bukele is prioritizing new schools and the integration of AI tools rolling out nationwide to provide real hope for the next generation,” she wrote. “The American education system should take notes.”
To watch the video, please click the image below:
Recognizing educators
Rep. Vern Buchanan announced an annual list of honors to teachers in his Southwest Florida District. He presented the Congressional Education Awards at a ceremony in Bradenton.
“The educators and staff in our District are the true champions of student success,” Buchanan said. “Their daily dedication to our students and community is remarkable, and I’m proud to recognize them for their truly invaluable work.”
A full list of honorees from Florida’s 16th Congressional District will be entered into the Congressional Record, the Longboat Key Republican said. He has done the same since establishing the awards 12 years ago.
This year will be the last when Buchanan bestows such an honor, as he has already announced that this will be his last term in Congress.
Chinese espionage
The House Intelligence Committee held a field hearing this week in Tampa, where Steube co-moderated discussions with Intelligence Committee Chair Rick Crawford, an Arkansas Republican.
The focus of the hearing was on counterintelligence threats posed by China, specifically against the state of Florida.
“As we discussed today, the CCP is actively working to undermine American security and expand its influence inside our country,” Steube said. “Florida’s critical infrastructure and strategic importance make it a high-value target, placing our state on the front lines. We must proactively address these threats in a forceful and unified manner.”
Reps. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, and Cammack, a Gainesville Republican, both attended the hearing as well.
At the hearing, Steube said the Committee discussed efforts by China to buy land near Florida military bases and to conduct cyber intrusions and influence operations that threaten the security of our state and nation.
Arming allies
Meanwhile, Mast worked on economic ways to arm allies abroad.
The Stuart Republican, who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, this week introduced the Foreign Military Financing Loan Authorization Act. That would authorize the State Department to finance arming certain U.S. partners and allies, consistent with an America First foreign policy.
“America produces the most lethal, effective weapons and military equipment without exception,” Mast said.
“Our partners look first to America as the partner of choice because there is no comparison. This bill would ensure we continue to arm our partners and allies under terms that put America first. At its core, this is about increasing integration with our allies, deterring adversaries, and strengthening our defense industrial base. This is the definition of Peace through Strength.”
Arming assistance through the State Department would come via foreign military financing loans or loan guarantees authorized by the legislation.
That builds on the work of a Foreign Military Sales Task Force that Mast established through his Committee last year, with the aim of both improving the U.S. military industrial base and eliminating bureaucracy to speed up assistance to foreign partners.
It also advanced provisions of the AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review (ARMOR) Act and the Made-in-America Defense Act, legislation passed and signed by Trump last year.
Strengthening sanctions
Secretary Marco Rubio on Thursday announced a round of tariffs on the country closest to his Miami home — Cuba. He imposed personal sanctions against institutions on the island that he said were responsible for the oppression of Cuban citizens and threats to U.S. national security.
That includes Grupo De Administracion Empresarial S.A. (GAESA), an umbrella financial enterprise that controls 40% of business on the island, and Moa Nickel S.A., a joint venture between Sherritt International Corporation and the Cuban state-owned La Compania General de Niquel that controls much of the nation’s natural resources. He also personally sanctioned Ania Guillermina Lastres Morera, the head of GAESA.
“These sanctions are part of the Trump administration’s comprehensive campaign to address the pressing national security threats posed by Cuba’s communist regime and hold accountable the regime and those who provide it material or financial support,” Rubio said.
“Just 90 miles from the American homeland, the Cuban regime has brought the island to ruin and auctioned off the island as a platform for foreign intelligence, military and terror operations. Additional designations can be expected in the following days and weeks.”
The sanctions were welcomed by South Florida lawmakers rooted in the Cuban American community.
“The new sanctions announced against the brutal Cuban regime are another important step toward holding the dictatorship accountable for decades of repression, corruption, and threats to U.S. national security and stability in our hemisphere,” posted Rep. Marío Diaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican.
“Thank you, President Trump and Secretary Rubio, for continuing to stand firmly with the Cuban people and against the murderous regime’s support for malign actors, transnational repression, intelligence operations against the United States, and its dangerous alliances with U.S. adversaries.”
On this day
May 8, 1973 — “American Indian Movement (AIM) ends occupation of Wounded Knee” via History.com — Many Native Americans acclaimed AIM’s actions, but on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Oglala Sioux Tribal President Dick Wilson banned its activities. AIM considered its government corrupt and dictatorial and planned the occupation of Wounded Knee as a means of forcing a federal investigation. Wounded Knee was one of the poorest communities in the United States and, along with other Pine Ridge settlements, shared the country’s lowest life expectancy rates. Over 71 days, AIM members traded gunfire with the federal marshals surrounding the settlement and fired on automobiles and low-flying planes that dared come within rifle range.
May 8, 1994 — “Bill Clinton grants Haitians exiles trial at sea” via The New York Times — President Clinton decided to grant asylum hearings to Haitians who were halted at sea while trying to reach the United States, reversing a policy that required the Coast Guard to return the boats forcibly. Responding to growing pressure from Congress and supporters of Haiti’s exiled President, the Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, White House officials said the United States would grant asylum interviews to potential refugees on United States vessels in the Caribbean or at sites in other countries in the region. Administration officials said they had not yet decided which countries would be asked to receive the refugees for processing.
Happy birthday
Best wishes to Rep. Vern Buchanan, who turns 75 today, May 8.
___
Peter Schorsch publishes Delegation, compiled by Jacob Ogles, edited and assembled by Phil Ammann and Ryan Nicol, with contributions by A.G. Gancarski and Gabrielle Russon.