In August 2025, Judge Kathleen Williams ordered the dismantling of Alligator Alcatraz, but in September 2025, an appeals court overturned that decision, allowing the detention center to continue operating. Since then, every Sunday, hundreds of people have been arriving by bus, car, motorcycle, and RV at the gates of the notorious migrant detention center. Activists, veterans, a pastor, and family members of detainees gather to demand fair proceedings for all, support families, and call for the closure of Alligator Alcatraz, which is operated by Florida authorities and funded by the federal government.
In December 2025, Amnesty International accused the prison of mistreating and even torturing some detainees, who were sometimes placed in cages measuring 2 feet by 2 feet (61 x 61 cm). This is yet another argument for the protesters, who remain hopeful that the center will be closed soon.
SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF TWELVE SWANS
Twelve swans were found dead in Lake Eola, near Orlando. Authorities suspect avian flu to be the cause of death, although official tests have not yet been carried out due to the end-of-year holidays. As a precautionary measure, signs were placed in the park on Monday, December 29, to prevent contact between walkers and the animals.
AMBITIONS OF THE MAYOR OF BOCA RATON
At 49 years old and a lawyer by training, the Republican mayor of Boca Raton, Scott Singer, is making his ambitions clear: he wants to win the position of Florida representative in Washington next November, challenging the current Democrat, Jared Moskowitz. He can count on the support of the current president, as well as a solid electoral base in his stronghold, where he can point to good results for his city.
The November 2026 election will be crucial: the political climate is likely to favor Democrats, but Moskowitz’s two previous victories were close. In addition, Governor DeSantis is preparing an electoral redistricting plan that could be implemented before the election, possibly allowing Singer to win additional Republican votes.
STORAGE PROBLEM ON THE HORIZON?
PortMiami, Magic City’s cruise ship port, could soon find itself in a difficult situation without easy access to the fuel needed to refuel ships. For a long time, hundreds of thousands of barrels have been stored in a private bunker not far from Fisher Island, fueling PortMiami’s activity. Put up for sale, the bunker was purchased on September 30, 2025, by HRP Group for $180 million, with big real estate construction plans.
Since then, confidential discussions have been underway, and city commissioners must decide whether to initiate an eminent domain process and buy back the bunker from HRP Group, knowing that the storage infrastructure may be outdated, or whether it would be more strategic to build a new fuel storage facility closer to PortMiami. In the meantime, a temporary solution will have to be found with HRP Group.
NEW CITY MANAGER IN MIAMI
Eileen Higgins, Miami’s new Democratic mayor, has just appointed James Reyes as the city’s City Manager. Responsible for a budget of $3 billion, Reyes will become her right-hand man and the city’s administrative and operational director, with authority over hiring and firing municipality employees. Formerly the security chief for Miami-Dade County, he currently resides with his family in Broward County.
