As a deadline looms for Haitians, Miami Republicans must speak up | Opinion
Leaders must lead
Kudos to the Miami Herald’s editorial board for its Dec. 9 editorial, “A Miami Republican stood for immigrants targeted by Trump. Where are the others?” It urged local Congressional Republicans Mario Díaz-Balart and Carlos Giménez to join Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar in decrying Donald Trump’s targeting of immigrants. They all are urgently needed now!
When the Department of Homeland Security ends Haiti’s Temporary Protective Status designation on Feb. 3, most of the 350,000 Haitians with TPS, having instantly lost their work permits, will be fired from their jobs and unable to pay for food, medical and other bills. Perhaps 100,000 American children will have their families and lives completely shattered. Businesses will be unable to replace essential workers in the nursing, hotel and service industries.
Salazar, Díaz-Balart, Giménez and business leaders should speak up now to protest and prevent this impending catastrophe.
Steve Forester,
Miami Beach
Order in the courts
In a republic, the rule of law is supreme. The judiciary is charged with being the impartial guardian of justice, a bulwark between the power of the state and the rights of individuals. Yet in many U.S. jurisdictions, judges are legally permitted to buy, own and trade securities tied to the correctional and detention industry. This glaringly ethical loophole threatens fairness and public confidence in our courts.
Every year, judges make countless decisions directly shaping who is incarcerated, for how long and under what conditions. In private prison companies, detention-facility contractors and prison-service corporations, profits rise with higher incarceration rates and longer stays. When judges hold securities tied to these industries, a potentially perverse incentive is palpable and the perception of a conflict of interest is deeply corrosive to the rule of law.
Judicial codes of conduct already require recusal when judges have a direct financial stake in a case before them. However, this narrow rule fails to address the broader systemic influence judges have over incarceration outcomes. A judge who owns stock in a private prison corporation can still preside over hundreds of cases that have indirect but real effects on those companies’ bottom lines.
The remedy is straightforward: while serving on the bench, judges should be barred from buying or holding any financial stake in companies whose profitability depends on corrections, detention, or electronic surveillance. Instead, all judicial investments should be placed in blind trusts or limited to widely diversified public funds that cannot be traced to specific industries. This change would help restore faith in the judiciary and prevent conflicts that fuel skepticism about impartiality.
In a nation that values justice under the law, it is time to ensure our judges do not profit from the system they are entrusted to uphold.
Jayden Jasper-Lee Martin,
Sunrise
Haiti’s lost generation
If there was ever an investigative journalistic effort worthy of a Pulitzer Prize, the Miami Herald’s series concerning rape in Haiti constitutes one. What is happening there should be condemned by all voices from all backgrounds. Focused, specific, kinetic force by special operations units should be expanded as soon as possible to eliminate the sexual terrorists perpetrating these horrendous crimes.
Appropriate medical professionals should consider going to Haiti once the situation is safe enough — and if the Haitian people wish the same — to help with victim rehabilitation, just as was done after the horrendous 2010 earthquake. In the meantime, we should all keep these women in our prayers.
Robert E. Panoff,
Pinecrest
Message of resilience
The Holocaust Survivors’ Foundation USA Executive Committee expresses their solidarity with the Australian Jewish community after the horrific terror attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec. 14. We are appalled at reports from survivors that police on the scene did nothing to try to stop the attack for at least 10 minutes, until a brave good Samaritan disarmed one of the killers.
We join the Australian Jewish community in condemning the Australian government, which has failed to take action against ongoing antisemitic threats and attacks, leading terrorists to believe, apparently correctly, that targeting Jews for terror and murder is acceptable.
Unfortunately, Australia is not alone. The attack against Jews observing and celebrating Hanukkah, one of our people’s many cherished traditions, is a predictable result of rampant antisemitism masquerading as “anti-Zionism” and other memes of the political left and right, that community and political leaders have not only ignored, but often voiced or encouraged.
Government leaders and others in the United States and throughout the world who, among other self-righteous actions and pronouncements, have failed to prevent and punish threats against synagogues and other Jewish institutions; supported boycotts of Israeli performers, academics and businesses; praised or justified actions of Hamas in starting and prolonging the Gaza war; accused Israel of “genocide” contrary to its actual conduct and all recognized definitions of the term; used, encouraged, or failed to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada;” or engaged in similar slanders against Israel and the Jewish people, also have the blood of the victims of the Bondi Beach massacre on their hands.
On the first day of Hanukkah, this Holocaust survivor and second generation leadership remind the world that despite the hatred of so many, the Jewish people are strong and resilient and will prevail.
Louise Lawrence Israels,
president,
Washington, D.C.,
the writer is joined by the Foundation
Sheriff’s holiday message
Throughout the year, we hear about challenges, crises and calls for service. The holidays, however, give us time to appreciate our families, our friends and the community we share. No matter how you celebrate the season, I wish you health, joy and peace.
This is a time when the world feels lighter and kinder. I hope you find a moment to slow down, breathe and create memories that stay with you long after the lights come down. The season reminds us that our lives aren’t measured by deadlines or to-do lists. They’re measured by connection — the families we’re born into and the families we choose, the friends who became family and strangers who became blessings. These moments ground us, especially when life feels fast or heavy.
Our deputies, firefighters, EMTs, 911 call takers and first responders serve this county every day. They work through the holidays to keep us safe. I appreciate them and I know our entire Miami-Dade community does, too.
The holidays are a perfect time to wrap the year in gratitude. A thoughtful message goes a long way. Simply showing up can be life-changing. Reach out to someone who may need extra care — and not just with a text. Pick up the phone or, if possible, sit with them. We all carry stories of joy and struggle. A moment of presence can make a difference.
Safety is a community commitment. Every resident plays a role. Look out for a neighbor, drive safely and soberly and stay connected. Together, through strong partnerships, we can make 2026 our safest year yet. Happy holidays and Happy New Year!
Rosie Cordero-Stutz,
sheriff,
Miami-Dade County
Environmental risks
Re: the Dec. 16 story, “Florida leads nation in cuts to environmental protection jobs, report says.” We are at the epicenter of global warming, yet we have seen fit to reduce environmental employment more than any other state in the past 15 years.
Surely, there is a logical explanation, though I’m concerned with my limited ability to comprehend the logic, or lack thereof.
Richard F. Katz,
Cooper City
This story was originally published December 19, 2025 at 11:17 AM.