Herald investigations on immigration, politics and a fast train get national honors
Miami Herald reporters are in the running for four national journalism awards for a wide range of investigative projects in 2025.
The investigations tackled the impact of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the staggering fatality rate of the Brightline train, and how the administration of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis steered millions of taxpayer dollars to a political campaign against the legalization of recreational marijuana.
“To be a finalist for these prestigious awards is an honor, but what matters most is why we do this work,” said Alex Mena, executive editor of the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald. “Our newsroom is deeply invested in this community and committed to serving readers with fearless, fair and deeply reported journalism.”
The investigations were named finalists or semi-finalists in the following contests:
2026 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting
Caught in the Crackdown
Miami Herald and Tampa Bay Times reporters were honored for exposing inhumane conditions and publishing exclusive reports on the immigrants and citizens whose lives were changed by the state and federal immigration crackdown.
The reporters: Claire Healy, Ana Claudia Chacin, Shirsho Dasgupta, Churchill Ndonwie, David Goodhue, Ana Ceballos, Ben Wieder, Verónica Egui Brito and Syra Ortiz Blanes.
Read the series:
- Caught in the Crackdown: Florida’s mass deportation campaign sweeps up 20,000, including those with clean records.
- Exclusive: Woman detained by feds in Keys says she was following agents’ orders.
- Exclusive: Hundreds at Alligator Alcatraz have no criminal charges, Miami Herald learns.
- ‘Inhumane:’ Overcrowding strains Krome detention center amid Trump’s immigrant crackdown.
- ‘Some cry all day.’ ICE detainees face harsh conditions in Miami federal facility
Killer Train
This project was a collaboration between the Miami Herald and WLRN, South Florida’s NPR member station. The team revealed that more than 190 people have been killed in crashes with Brightline trains since 2017, making it the deadliest major passenger train in the nation, even as its private owner has received nearly $500 million in taxpayer funding while safeguards continue to lag.
Reporters: Brittany Wallman, Daniel Rivero, Joshua Ceballos, Aaron Leibowitz, Susan Merriam, Shradha Dinesh and Allison Beck.
Read and listen to the series:
- Killer train: Brightline death toll surpasses 180, but safeguards are still lacking
- Haunted by Brightline: A conductor landed his dream job. Then people started dying
- Private train, public cash: How Brightline has been buoyed by taxpayer dollars
- Podcast: The high price of quiet trains
- Podcast: Sitting ducks
Hope Florida
The Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald were honored for their joint investigation showing how Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis secretly steered more than $35 million in taxpayer dollars to fight his political battles.
Reporters: Alexandra Glorioso, Lawrence Mower and Justin Garcia.
Read the series:
- State officials steered $10 million settlement to Casey DeSantis’ Hope Florida charity
- Donors gave big to DeSantis’ marijuana campaign after getting $10M from Hope Florida
- The $10M steered to Hope Florida by the state was Medicaid money, document shows
- Lawyers in Hope Florida Medicaid settlement distanced clients from rushed deal
- DeSantis admin diverted child welfare and medical funds for consultants, ads
These projects were named as semi-finalists. Winners will be announced at the 2026 Goldsmith Awards Ceremony at Harvard Kennedy School on April 9.
Collier Awards for Ethics in Journalism
Alligator Alcatraz
The Herald, in partnership with the Tampa Bay Times, was recognized as a finalist for uncovering the identities of migrants held at Florida’s “black box” Alligator Alcatraz detention center in the Everglades.
Reporters: Ana Ceballos, Ana Claudia Chacin, Shirsho Dasgupta, Claire Healy and Ben Wieder.
Read the series:
- Exclusive: Hundreds at Alligator Alcatraz have no criminal charges, Miami Herald learns
- ‘Psychological warfare’: Internal data shows true nature of Alligator Alcatraz
- Hundreds of Alligator Alcatraz detainees drop off the grid after leaving site
- Is your family member or client at Alligator Alcatraz? We obtained a list
- Alligator Alcatraz isn’t meant for minors. A 15 year old ended up there anyway
The Collier Awards ceremony, with prizes for first, second and third, will be held April 15 at the Paley Center for Media in Manhattan. The keynote speech will be delivered by former Washington Post editor Marty Baron. He was the Miami Herald’s executive editor in 2000 and 2001.
