Donald Trump has arrived in Miami for court Tuesday. Here’s what to expect

Former President Donald Trump is set to appear Tuesday at Miami’s federal courthouse for an initial hearing on criminal charges, an event that is expected to draw swarms of protesters, supporters and media to the area.

The hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Wilkie D. Ferguson U.S. Courthouse at 400 North Miami Ave. in downtown Miami. Trump faces 37 felony charges related to allegations that he illegally kept classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstructed the FBI’s efforts to investigate.

On Monday, Trump left his Bedminster golf club in New Jersey and departed on his private jet from Newark to Miami International Airport shortly after noon. He landed in Miami around 3 p.m. and then headed to his golf club in Doral, where he was greeted by a small group of supporters and was expected to stay Monday night.

Trump will need to surrender Tuesday for booking and processing at the federal courthouse prior to his hearing before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman.

The public may not get a glimpse of Trump as he enters the courthouse. He could be transported through an underground garage connected to the building.

Trump is expected to be fingerprinted ahead of the hearing, but he likely won’t be handcuffed or need to pose for a mugshot. When Trump faced criminal charges in New York in April, authorities said he wasn’t considered a significant flight risk and that his image was widely available as they declined to handcuff or photograph him.

The hearing will not be televised, as cameras are not allowed in federal court.

Trump, who has vowed to fight the case, could potentially enter a not guilty plea Tuesday.

Trump has said he will fly to New Jersey shortly after the hearing and deliver remarks from his Bedminster club at 8:15 p.m.

Outside the courthouse, large crowds are expected. Trump has called for protests of his indictment, raising concern that far-right groups such as the Proud Boys could be present. At least one group, the Florida Republican Assembly, was advertising free bus trips from Orlando to Miami to show support for Trump.

Federal, county and city law enforcement agencies are coordinating the security response.

At a press conference Monday afternoon, Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said officials are planning for anywhere between 5,000 and 50,000 people near the courthouse.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said commuters can expect a “disruption” Tuesday but declined to state which streets could be affected. Police said their decisions would likely be dependent on crowd sizes.

Morales said police do not plan to separate pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters or restrict access to public spaces, but could set up zones to separate people if crowds become unruly.

Miami-Dade officials said the county’s police department has not received any federal requests for security support, but would assist city of Miami police near the federal courthouse.

Regular service is expected on county bus and train lines. Extra security personnel will be stationed near county facilities and transit stations, officials said.

This story was originally published June 12, 2023 at 3:29 PM.

Aaron Leibowitz

Miami Herald

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Aaron Leibowitz covers the city of Miami Beach for the Miami Herald, where he has worked as a local government reporter since 2019. He was part of a team that won a 2022 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building in Surfside. He is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School’s Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism.