Florida officials promised Thursday to discipline teachers who celebrate the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a memo to school superintendents saying that there would be consequences for employees who celebrate or mock the killing of Kirk, who was gunned down on Wednesday while holding an event at Utah Valley University.
“It has been brought to my attention that some Florida educators have posted despicable comments on social media regarding the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida&#8217;s educators,” he wrote in the memo. “Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Teachers are held to a higher standard as public servants and must ensure their conduct does not undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. We will hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk accountable.… <a href="https://t.co/KzXCCGkvZm">pic.twitter.com/KzXCCGkvZm</a>
— Anastasios Kamoutsas (@StasiKamoutsas) <a href="https://twitter.com/StasiKamoutsas/status/1966194627578384748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While tributes for Kirk poured in following news of his death, many leftists responded by mocking Kirk or celebrating his death. A dean of students at Middle Tennessee State University was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-university-dean-fired-after-saying-she-had-no-sympathy-for-charlie-kirk?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Tennessee+University+Dean+Fired+After+Saying+She+Had+%E2%80%98No+Sympathy%E2%80%99+For+Charlie+Kirk">fired</a> Wednesday after she said she had “zero sympathy” for Kirk.
Kamoutsas noted that while teachers have First Amendment rights, comments they make could violate professional codes of conduct that they are required to follow.
“Although educators have First Amendment rights, these rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties,” he wrote in the memo. “An educator&#8217;s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families that they serve.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised Kamoutsas for the memo.
“Celebrating the assassination of a 31-year-old father of two young kids is disturbing; that teachers would be among those who do so is completely unacceptable,” he <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1966210462011576409">said</a>. “Glad [Kamoutsas] is bringing accountability. It is sad that we’ve seen a number of teachers across America celebrate Charlie Kirk’s murder.”
Other individuals across the country have also lost their jobs over posts made about Kirk’s death, including at the University of Mississippi.
&#8220;Yesterday, a University of Mississippi staff member re-shared hurtful, insensitive comments on social media regarding the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk,” University of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce <a href="https://x.com/OleMiss/status/1966202655706865785">said</a> Thursday. &#8220;These comments run completely counter to our institutional values of civility, fairness, and respecting the dignity of each person. We condemn these actions, and this staff member is no longer employed by the university.”

Governor DeSantis Hold News Conference On Border Security

Florida Pledges To Hold Teachers ‘Accountable’ Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Death

Charlie Kirk

Education

Florida

Ron DeSantis

Fresh off a major legal victory, the Department of Homeland Security is touting the wide variety of illegal aliens convicted on charges related to violence, drugs, and sex crimes currently held in “Alligator Alcatraz.&#8221;
Last week, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca11.92709/gov.uscourts.ca11.92709.42.1.pdf">struck down</a> a federal judge’s order saying that Alligator Alcatraz needed to be shut down. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis celebrated the ruling over the weekend, saying he was working to open up similar illegal detention centers across the state, including one he dubbed he “Panhandle Pokey.” 
In the meantime, Alligator Alcatraz will remain home to illegal immigrants convicted of drug trafficking, murder, and sexual offenses targeting children. Since its opening, the detention center has been the focus of protests from leftist activists and a lawsuit arguing that Florida and the Trump administration violated federal environmental laws. 
“Despite repeated hoaxes peddled by the media and activist judges, Alligator Alcatraz is still open and housing some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens, including murderers, pedophiles, weapon traffickers, and drug dealers until they are swiftly removed from our country,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire. 
According to the Department of Homeland Security, those currently detained at Alligator Alcatraz include the following: 
<ul>
<li>Abelardo Ocampo, an illegal from Mexico convicted of attempted homicide/second-degree murder and possession of a weapon with intent to harm.  </li>
<li>Eraldo Ariel Perez Perez, an illegal from Guatemala, convicted of sexual battery of a victim (12 years or older) physically helpless to resist.</li>
<li>Efrain Mez-Choc, another illegal from Guatemala convicted of engaging in sex with a child and two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child 12-16 years old. </li>
<li>Alexis Moreda Gallardo, an illegal from Cuba convicted of larceny, fraud impersonation, aggravated assault, and indecent exposure.  </li>
<li>Gustavo Cruz Garcia, an illegal alien from Mexico convicted of prostitution and sex offenses.  </li>
<li>Gersain Lerma Lasprilla, an illegal from Colombia convicted in his home country for the manufacture and trafficking of firearms and ammunition.  </li>
<li>Thallys Roberto Cassimiro DeSouza, an illegal from Brazil convicted of robbery. </li>
<li>David Mota Castillo, an illegal from the Dominican Republic convicted of drug trafficking. </li>
<li>Simeon De La Cruz Paredes, an illegal from the Dominican Republic convicted of smuggling aliens.</li>
<li>Diego Puentes, an illegal from Guatemala convicted of second-degree murder. </li>
</ul>
The Trump administration plans to open similar facilities in other states.
“Innovative state partnerships like Alligator Alcatraz, Louisiana Lock-up, Speedway Slammer, and Cornhusker Clink are expanding detention capability to lock up criminal illegal aliens and turbo charging our efforts to get criminal illegal aliens out of our country,” McLaughlin said. “Fire up the deportation planes.”

MixCollage-10-Sep-2025-11-54-AM-724

EXCLUSIVE: DHS Reveals The ‘Worst Of The Worst’ Illegals In Alligator Alcatraz

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigation

Trump Administration

President Donald Trump on Friday evening pushed back on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/first-in-the-nation-florida-to-end-all-vaccine-mandates">Florida&#8217;s plan</a> to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including school requirements.
Trump said Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo&#8217;s plan was a &#8220;tough stance&#8221; and emphasized that some vaccines are &#8220;not controversial&#8221; and should generally be taken to protect children.
&#8220;I think we have to be very careful,&#8221; he told the press from the Oval Office. &#8220;You have some vaccines that are so amazing: the polio vaccine, I happen to think is amazing. A lot of people think that COVID [vaccine] is amazing. You know, there are many people that believe strongly in that.&#8221;
&#8220;You have some vaccines that are so incredible, and I think you have to be very careful when you say that some people don&#8217;t have to be vaccinated,&#8221; the president reiterated. &#8220;It&#8217;s a very tough position.&#8221;
&#8220;Initially, I heard about it yesterday,&#8221; Trump said of the Florida vaccine initiative. &#8220;And it&#8217;s a tough stance. You have vaccines that work &#8212; just pure and simple, they work, they&#8217;re not controversial at all. And I think those vaccines should be used, otherwise some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people. And when you don&#8217;t have controversy at all, I think people should take it.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 BREAKING: President Trump pushes back on Florida removing all vaccine mandates, including for schoolchildren. He says some vaccines are a must.
&#8220;I think we have to be careful. You have some vaccines that are so amazing. The Polio vaccine I think is amazing. A lot of people… <a href="https://t.co/PsTGMIBaWl">pic.twitter.com/PsTGMIBaWl</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1964084178720608711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
Dr. Ladapo, alongside Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced on Wednesday that the Sunshine State will end all vaccination mandates, including requirements for schools.
“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the government, is working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law — all of them,” Ladapo said. “Every last one of them.”
Ladapo said the government has no right to tell parents what to put in their children’s bodies, or their own bodies.
“Every last [mandate] is wrong and drips with disdain — and slavery,” he argued. “Who am I, or anyone else … to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in [their] body?”
“I don’t have that right,” he continued. “Your body is a gift from God. What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God. I don’t have that right. Government does not have that right.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: The Surgeon General of Florida just announced ALL VACCINE MANDATES IN FLORIDA will be ENDED, and the room erupted.
All. Not just COVID. ALL.
JOSEPH LADAPO: &#8220;Every last one is wrong and DRIPS with disdain and slavery! Who am I, or anyone else, to tell YOU what… <a href="https://t.co/Kah5LscGTo">pic.twitter.com/Kah5LscGTo</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1963254999204442607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Ending vaccine requirements for schoolchildren would be a seismic change — every state in the nation currently has school vaccine requirements. Additionally, liberal states have increasingly nixed religious exemptions for families looking to opt their children out of some requirements.
Gov. DeSantis on Friday seemed to reiterate his support for the plan. During remarks at the second annual State Freedom Caucus Summit, the governor boosted the right to medical freedom and said he didn’t believe the government should coerce people into certain treatment, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-reveals-what-battles-he-wants-to-tackle-next-as-governor?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=DeSantis+Reveals+What+Battles+He+Wants+To+Tackle+Next+As+Governor">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
Gov. DeSantis has led the charge on the issue of <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/12/desantis-medical-freedom-laws?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">medical freedom</a> in the wake of aggressive COVID policies. In 2023, for example, he signed a set of medical freedom measures into law, which banned mask and vaccine mandates and added new conscience protections for health care providers.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/first-in-the-nation-florida-to-end-all-vaccine-mandates">First In The Nation: Florida To End All Vaccine Mandates</a>

Sir Keir Starmer visit to Washington DC

Trump Pushes Back On Florida Plan To End All School Vax Mandates

Donald Trump

Health

Politics

U.S.

Vaccine Mandate

Vaccines

IRVING, Texas — Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said Friday night that he planned to remain on “offense” in Florida as he pressed conservative lawmakers gathered from across the country to govern boldly. 
DeSantis, whose time as governor has been punctuated by major conservative victories from education to illegal immigration, said he hopes to push Florida to have greater medical freedom and to eliminate property taxes. He made the remarks during a keynote address at the second annual State Freedom Caucus Summit at the Omni Las Colinas Hotel just outside Dallas.
“I didn&#8217;t get in there to be mushy on policy,” DeSantis said. “I knew what I believed.  I told people what I was going to do. And my view was, I&#8217;m sitting at the desk the first day I was governor, I looked around the office, no decorations yet, it was empty, and I said, you know, I don&#8217;t know what SOB’s going to succeed me in this office, but they are not going to have anything to do.”
DeSantis was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, a coalition of House Republicans who have fought to reign in federal spending and to advance conservative policies at the federal level. The State Freedom Caucus Network was founded in 2021 with the goal of creating state level organizations of conservative lawmakers and equipping them with “the high-level staff, strategy, and community conservatives need to take ground across the country.”
On the lines of medical freedom, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced that the state would seek to end all vaccine mandates, including requirements for schools. DeSantis said Friday that he didn&#8217;t believe government should coerce people into certain treatment. He also said people couldn&#8217;t truly have private property if they effectively had to pay &#8220;rent&#8221; to the government for it.
During his speech, DeSantis highlighted his record on fighting lockdowns during COVID, battles to protect parental rights in education, elimination of DEI at public universities, and fights with Disney.
“ I think woke ideology is toxic whether it&#8217;s being imposed by a government agency, or whether it&#8217;s being imposed by a multinational corporation. I think it&#8217;s wrong,” DeSantis said.
The Florida governor also celebrated the Thursday <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/court-allows-floridas-alligator-alcatraz-to-remain-open-for-business?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Court+Allows+Florida’s+Alligator+Alcatraz+To+Remain+‘Open+For+Business’">decision</a> from the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals that blocked a lower court’s order to shut down the Everglades-based illegal alien detention center known as Alligator Alcatraz.
“Every time I get out of bed in the morning, I get sued by the Left,” DeSantis said. “You can&#8217;t be worried about getting sued, you know that&#8217;s what they&#8217;re gonna do, and they go to liberal judges, and we know based on the judge, we have no chance at the trial court, and so we know we&#8217;ll just win on appeal.”
He said that Florida would be partnering with the Trump administration to establish other illegal alien detention centers.
DeSantis said that Florida’s massive shift to the Right under his leadership showed the impact of governing conservatively, saying that “people respond to results.”
“It&#8217;s not always easy,” he said. “None of this is cost free, but it&#8217;s worth it. And what we are doing in these states by showing that conservative policies that built this country, that our Founding Fathers believed in, we show that those work, that people vote with their feet &#8212; that is the best possible evidence we can produce to show people this is the way forward, not just us, for our kids and our grandkids.”

IMG_20250905_220456

DeSantis Reveals What Battles He Wants To Tackle Next As Governor

Freedom Caucus

General

Texas

A federal appeals court issued a ruling on Thursday allowing an illegal alien detention center in Florida dubbed Alligator Alcatraz to remain “open for business” while a lawsuit against the state and the Trump administration makes its way through court.
An Obama-appointed federal district court judge <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/obama-appointed-judge-orders-alligator-alcatraz-to-shut-down-within-60-days">issued</a> a temporary restraining order last month ordering Florida and the Trump administration to stop placing illegal aliens in the facility. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked that judge’s order in a 2-1 decision on Thursday.
The judges <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca11.92709/gov.uscourts.ca11.92709.42.1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that a lawsuit brought by environmental groups and an American Indian tribe “failed to state a viable claim” that Florida and the Department of Homeland Security violated federal environmental laws.
“Given that the federal government has an undisputed and wide-reaching interest in combatting illegal immigration, and that illegal immigration is a matter of national security and public safety, we think the injunction issued below goes against the public interest,” the majority wrote in the court’s decision.
Both the Department of Homeland Security and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis celebrated the ruling.
“Today’s order is a win for the American people, the rule of law and common sense,” the Department of Homeland Security posted on X. “This lawsuit was never about the environmental impacts of turning a developed airport into a detention facility. It has and will always be about open-borders activists and judges trying to keep law enforcement from removing dangerous criminal aliens from our communities, full stop.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
HUGE VICTORY FOR ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ. Today’s order is a win for the American people, the rule of law and common sense. This lawsuit was never about the environmental impacts of turning a developed airport into a detention facility. It has and will always be about open-borders…
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1963695670923026455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The mission continues on immigration enforcement. The media was giddy that somehow Alligator Alcatraz was ‘shutting down.’ And we told them that wasn’t true,” DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1963688691542401406">said</a> in a video message. “There have been illegal aliens continuing to be there and being removed and returned to their home country. But they ran with the narrative because some leftist judge ruled, implausibly, that somehow Florida wasn’t allowed to use our own property to help the federal government in this important mission.”
“So Alligator Alcatraz is, in fact, like we’ve always said, open for business. The mission continues and we’re going to continue leading the way when it comes to immigration enforcement,” DeSantis added.
The Trump administration has partnered with states across the country to open up similar detention centers with names like the Cornhusker Clink in Nebraska and the Speedway Slammer in Indiana.

Protesters rally against “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida, Everglades

Court Allows Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz To Remain ‘Open For Business’

Courts

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Florida’s surgeon general, alongside GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced on Wednesday that the Sunshine State will end all vaccination mandates, including requirements for schools.
“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the government, is working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law — all of them,” Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo told a room of supporters. “Every last one of them.”
Ladapo went on to say that the government has no right to tell parents what to put in their children’s bodies, or their own bodies, sparking loud applause.
“Every last [mandate] is wrong and drips with disdain — and slavery,” he argued. “Who am I, or anyone else … to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in [their] body?”
“I don’t have that right,” he continued. “Your body is a gift from God. What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and your God. I don’t have that right. Government does not have that right.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 MAJOR BREAKING: The Surgeon General of Florida just announced ALL VACCINE MANDATES IN FLORIDA will be ENDED, and the room erupted.
All. Not just COVID. ALL.
JOSEPH LADAPO: &#8220;Every last one is wrong and DRIPS with disdain and slavery! Who am I, or anyone else, to tell YOU what… <a href="https://t.co/Kah5LscGTo">pic.twitter.com/Kah5LscGTo</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1963254999204442607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
Ending vaccine requirements for schoolchildren would be a seismic change — every state in the nation currently has school vaccine requirements. Additionally, liberal states have increasingly nixed religious exemptions for families looking to opt their children out of some requirements.
An attorney from New York, who recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-takes-on-new-york-over-vax-mandate-and-wins">won a major vaccine case</a> in the state, told The Daily Wire that since the state did away with religious exemptions, it has also largely eliminated medical exemptions, despite the government’s claims to still accept them.
“The problem really is these New York State Department of Health regulations that were issued in 2019, that led to hundreds of children who had longstanding medical exemptions suddenly getting them revoked,” attorney Sujata Gibson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-takes-on-new-york-over-vax-mandate-and-wins">said</a>. “Many, many families have had to move out of town, get vaccinated against medical advice — some children have been severely harmed by that.”
It’s unclear how vaccine requirements will be peeled back in the state, but Ladapo does oversee the Florida Department of Health. He also noted that this vision will be possible with the help of state lawmakers, who Ladapo said will “have to make decisions” on these matters.
Gov. DeSantis has led the charge on the issue of <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/05/12/desantis-medical-freedom-laws?utm_source=chatgpt.com">medical freedom</a> in the wake of the aggressive COVID policies. In 2023, for example, he signed a set of medical freedom measures into law, which banned mask and vaccine mandates and added new conscience protections for health care providers. He flanked Ladapo during the announcement to end all vaccination requirements on Wednesday.
Federally, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has moved to effectively make COVID vaccine mandates illegal by ending “emergency use authorization” for the vaccines.
“We saw the heavy-handed government with the vaccine mandates with the COVID vaccine, no longer is that possible given the landscape that we’ve created,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary <a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1962895599835009184">said</a>. 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-removes-woke-crosswalk-sparks-backlash-from-the-left?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=DeSantis+Removes+Woke+Crosswalk%2C+Sparks+Backlash+From+The+Left">DeSantis Removes Woke Crosswalk, Sparks Backlash From The Left</a>

Syringe and Coronavirus vaccine

First In The Nation: Florida To End All Vaccine Mandates

News

Public Schools

A petition for clemency for the illegal immigrant truck driver charged with killing three people while making an illegal U-turn is gaining traction online, leading to outrage from people who believe the opposite approach is warranted.
Harjinder Singh entered the country illegally in 2018.
More than 2.5 million people have signed the change.org petition directed toward Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Board of Executive Clemency, urging them to consider that the accused has no criminal history and simply made a “terrible mistake.”
But DeSantis had already made it clear that he was taking the case seriously as he sent Florida’s new lieutenant governor, Jay Collins, to California last week to extradite Singh. “Fleeing to a sanctuary state will not prevent him from facing justice in Florida, and we will make sure of that. He will be held accountable for his criminal actions,” the governor said at the time, per <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/desantis-state-line-wont-protect-criminal-illegals-sends-chuck-norris-deputy-nab-fugitive-trucker">Fox News</a>.
Singh, 28, was charged with three counts of vehicular homicide and was recently denied bail as he awaits trial. California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is also catching heat because the state issued Singh a commercial driver’s license despite him not being in the country legally. California is one of 19 states to issue licenses to illegal immigrants.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said last week that he had launched an investigation into the accident, calling it a “preventable tragedy,” as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/preventable-tragedy-duffy-blames-multiple-states-as-illegal-alien-faces-charges-in-florida-crash">reported</a>.
“If states had followed the rules, this driver would never have been behind the wheel and three precious lives would still be with us,” Duffy said. “This crash was a preventable tragedy directly caused by reckless decisions and compounded by despicable failures.”
The online petition for clemency is being blasted online, with many commenters weighing in on the situation.
“They’d rather defend an illegal truck driver than protect American lives. I guarantee you, I know what their political ideologies are. Pure clown world,” one commenter <a href="https://x.com/CajunCombatVet/status/1959772678682022005">wrote</a>.
“It shouldn’t matter if 50 million sign it. We don’t impose justice by popular opinion. We have laws for a reason. 3 people lost their lives. Is there any justice for them?” another person <a href="https://x.com/pattydavid/status/1959804241448484996">agreed</a>.

MixCollage-20-Aug-2025-07-58-AM-812

Clemency Petition For Illegal Immigrant Trucker Accused Of Killing 3 Sparks Furious Backlash

California

Crime

illegal immigrant

Truckers

After Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a <a href="https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/memorandum/Governors_Safe_Roads.htm">directive</a> on July 1 ordering all governors to comply with federal standards for “consistent and recognizable traffic control devices including crosswalk and intersection markings, and orderly use of the right‑of‑way that is kept free from distractions,” Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis did exactly that, ordering the state to paint over a rainbow-colored crosswalk in Orlando memorializing the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, and enraging critics who contended it was an attack on gay rights.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer called the removal “callous” and “a cruel political act,” adding, “This crosswalk not only enhanced safety and visibility for the large number of pedestrians visiting the memorial, it also served as a visual reminder of Orlando’s commitment to honor the 49 lives taken.”
State Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith argued, “They did this in the middle of the night because they were scared of the resistance because they know what they did was wrong.”
“The state transportation agency had been notifying cities around Florida in recent months that they must remove rainbow-colored crosswalks and intersections or they could face the withholding of transportation funds,” the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-lgbtq-pulse-nightclub-desantis-329ebed5d628400afb066d2772c3855a">noted</a>.
DeSantis issued a blunt and succinct reply to his critics: “We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We will not allow our state roads to be commandeered for political purposes. <a href="https://t.co/AXY1qxsZNW">https://t.co/AXY1qxsZNW</a>
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1958583393714667572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Some community members then <a href="https://x.com/jeremy_rodrigue/status/1958670495483592732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1958670495483592732%7Ctwgr%5E7ac4c6e18c02c61f96b81df762f6b17dcf98525c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsweek.com%2Fflorida-locals-ron-desantis-pulse-rainbow-crosswalk-2117628">rechalked</a> the rainbow colors onto the crosswalk.
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But DeSantis had plenty of support online, as Twitchy<a href="https://twitchy.com/justmindy/2025/08/22/desantis-painted-over-pride-intersection-carlos-smith-big-mad-n2417681"> documented</a>. Some comments included:
<blockquote>
Good on DeSantis. This should have never been on the sidewalk to begin with. Stop painting sidewalks, crosswalks and roads for any group cause. All it does is make people more irritated with you.
Painting a sidewalk in rainbow colors has nothing to do with the people who were murdered there. People can mourn them in private or go to the cemetery. This is like marking a spot for one group of people. Also, the Governor can do what he thinks is best for all his citizens.
Painting a sidewalk in rainbow colors has nothing to do with the people who were murdered there. People can mourn them in private or go to the cemetery. This is like marking a spot for one group of people. Also, the Governor can do what he thinks is best for all his citizens.
DeSantis doesn’t play! Florida just painted over the rainbow crosswalk in Orlando and the left is LOSING it.  One senator is literally on-scene crying about a sidewalk… Meanwhile, real Floridians are cheering. 🌴🇺🇸  Common sense &gt; woke symbolism.
</blockquote>

US-NEWS-FLA-RAINBOW-CROSSWALKS-EDITORIAL-OS

DeSantis Removes Woke Crosswalk, Sparks Backlash From The Left

LGBT

Mass Shooting

Pulse Nightclub

Rainbow crosswalks

Social Issues

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced new facilities to support Alligator Alcatraz, called the Deportation Depot.
&#8220;We&#8217;re taking yet another step in supporting the important mission that President Trump was elected to implement of securing the border, enforcing immigration laws, and removing illegal aliens who are in our society now and sending them back to their home country,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/1955981567320580574" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at a press conference.
The new facility will be based in the Baker Correctional Institution in Baker County, a men&#8217;s state prison located 45 miles west of Jacksonville. The Deportation Depot is projected to be able to house between 1,300 and 2,000 individuals.
DeSantis claimed in the press conference that the Department of Homeland Security would be reimbursing the state for the cost of operating the facility.
The Florida governor touted the new facility&#8217;s infrastructure, saying that a large part of the prison was not in use &#8220;for any correctional purposes&#8221; and could be easily converted to house those facing deportation.
DeSantis also noted that a nearby airport would enable Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel to speedily deport illegal aliens from the Deportation Depot, although it was not as convenient as the runway directly on the property of Alligator Alcatraz in South Florida.
Alligator Alcatraz, which has been in operation since mid-June, has seen both controversy and success in its time in operation. Although it faces protests by environmental activists and anti-ICE demonstrators, the facility is deporting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hundreds-of-illegal-aliens-deported-in-first-flights-from-alligator-alcatraz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds of illegal aliens</a>, according to DeSantis.
&#8220;This is a priority for the people of our state. It&#8217;s a priority for the people of this country and I don&#8217;t want to see any more Angel Moms,&#8221; DeSantis said, referring in particular to mothers whose children are killed by illegal aliens.
The Deportation Depot is the third facility of its kind, joining Alligator Alcatraz and the Speedway Slammer, which the Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alligator-alcatraz-has-some-new-competition-the-speedway-slammer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> will be operated in a partnership with the state of Indiana.
DeSantis&#8217;s announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to rack up wins against sanctuary cities and human traffickers.
On Wednesday, two immigrants from Mexico were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/couple-convicted-for-harboring-illegal-aliens-at-texas-bakery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">convicted</a> by a Texas jury of harboring illegal aliens at their bakery near the southern border, which a federal investigator said &#8220;not only [violated] federal immigration laws but also [exploits] vulnerable individuals for profit.&#8221;
The Trump administration also filed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-guns-for-nyc-in-lawsuit-over-sanctuary-city-status" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuits</a> over the past few months against New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago in an effort to legally force the cities to collaborate with federal officials to apprehend, detain, and deport illegal aliens. A federal court has since dropped the Department of Justice’s case against Chicago due to a lack of standing on the federal government’s part.
President Trump&#8217;s legal action is still having some effect. Some cities, such as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-effect-d-c-police-break-from-sanctuary-city-policies-will-cooperate-with-ice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C</a>., and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blue-city-abandons-sanctuary-city-policy-after-warning-from-trump-administration?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Blue+City+Abandons+%E2%80%98Sanctuary+City%E2%80%99+Policy+After+Warning+From+Trump+Administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisville</a>, Kentucky, have abandoned &#8211; or are taking steps to move away from &#8211; city policies that favor illegal immigrants over federal law enforcement personnel.

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ 3.0: Florida Announces New Deportation Facility

Alligator

President Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill heads back to the House after a marathon Senate session – and a tie-breaking vote from JD Vance. Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis put aside past differences at Alligator Alcatraz — touting the power of their federal-state alliance. And, Bryan Kohberger avoids the death penalty – pleading guilty to murdering four Idaho students.
It’s Wednesday, July 2, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>The Senate Passes Trump&#8217;s Big, Beautiful Bill</h2>
<div id="attachment_924413" style="width: 868px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-924413" class="size-large wp-image-924413" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-858x576.jpg" alt="" width="858" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-858x576.jpg 858w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-300x201.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-768x516.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-1536x1031.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-2216484723-2048x1375.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 858px) 100vw, 858px" />(Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)</div>
Topline: After a marathon vote in Congress, the Senate narrowly passed Donald Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, pushing his sweeping policy agenda toward the finish line.
Senators and their staff spent the last 48 hours debating the bill non-stop — in what Washington calls a Vote-a-Rama, where members submit last minute amendments before a final vote. Votes were held on 45 proposed amendments covering everything from Medicare cuts and electric car subsidies to health care for illegal immigrants and Planned Parenthood funding. That process went all night Monday and well into Tuesday afternoon.
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Democrats made clear that they viewed the Vote-a-Rama as a means of forcing Republicans to go on the record with their views, but more importantly, to stall. That tactic angered Republicans and even some Democrats who opposed the bill, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman.
“Oh my God, I just want to go home,” Fetterman <a href="https://x.com/niceblackdude/status/1939829913873522764">said</a> during the Vote-a-Rama. “Keeping us here until some ungodly hour isn’t helping anyone.”
Given their slim majority, the GOP could only afford to lose three Republican votes. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Susan Collins (R-ME) were definite no votes, so it came down to Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski. Ultimately, GOP leadership won her over by offering major concessions, exempting Alaska from a number of funding cuts in the bill. The final tally was 50-50, allowing Vice President JD Vance to step in and cast the deciding vote.
The bill will now head to the House, where it’s expected to pass, though not without some difficulty – some hardline Republicans have expressed concerns about some of the Senate’s changes. Given the delay from Senate Democrats, the bill might not be voted on before President Trump’s desired deadline of July 4th. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said he would honor the customary 72 hour period to allow members three days to review the legislation – so it’ll be tight.
<h2>Trump-DeSantis Alliance &amp; Alligator Alcatraz</h2>
<div id="attachment_582447" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-582447" class="size-large wp-image-582447" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-1024x576.jpg" alt="Donald Trump Ron DeSantis" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/07/RDDT-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Getty Images</div>
Topline: President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference down at the state’s new “Alligator Alcatraz” on Tuesday.
Trump and DeSantis have reconciled since Trump beat the Florida governor in the GOP presidential primary last year, and Trump’s win in November pushed the two even closer, especially on immigration, but also on other issues as well.
“Ron, I would like to thank you, personally,” Trump said during a joint press conference. “You&#8217;re my friend. You will always be my friend. We may have some skirmishes even in the future &#8212; I doubt it &#8212; but I will always come back. We have blood that seems to match pretty well. We have a relationship that&#8217;s been a very strong one.”
DeSantis is term-limited as Florida’s governor, and he signaled that his wife Casey may jump into the 2026 race to replace him. An endorsement from Trump would be a huge boon in a Republican primary that has the potential to be extraordinarily competitive.
The press conference took place during a visit to Alligator Alcatraz – an immigration facility being built in the everglades. It could hold thousands of illegal aliens slated for deportation. In addition to the new detention facility, Trump also plans to deputize Florida National Guardsmen as immigration judges, which could massively cut down the time it takes to schedule immigration hearings – from a matter of years to just a few days.
Detention capacity has been a big constraint to Trump’s immigration agenda. That’s why we’ve seen the Trump administration partner with El Salvador, for instance, to hold illegal aliens, or ship them to Guantanamo Bay. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now arresting hundreds of illegal aliens a day, and Trump is doing whatever he can to make sure none of them are released back into the public after they’ve been caught.
<h2>Accused Murderer Accepts Plea Deal</h2>
<div id="attachment_644939" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-644939" class="size-large wp-image-644939" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-864x576.jpg" alt="Second District Judge John C. Judge speaks at a hearing for Bryan Kohberger, who stands accused of murder, on cameras in the courtroom in Latah County District Court on September 13, 2023 in Moscow, Idaho." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/GettyImages-1663792088.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Ted S. Warren-Pool/Getty Images</div>
Topline: The man accused of the 2022 Idaho murders has accepted a plea deal. The death penalty trial was originally set to begin on August 18th.
Byran Kohberger will accept the prosecution’s plea deal and plead guilty to all charges. Those include four counts of murder, as well as burglary. In exchange, the state has agreed to take the death penalty off the table – he will serve four consecutive life sentences with no possibility of parole, and he has waived the right to appeal. There will be a change of plea hearing on Wednesday, which may provide some closure for the families of the four victims: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Kaylee+Goncalves&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAC&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Kaylee Goncalves</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Madison+Mogen&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAD&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Madison Mogen</a>, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Xana+Kernodle&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAE&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Xana Kernodle</a>, and <a href="https://www.google.com/search?cs=0&amp;sca_esv=6bab3b4dfd99b83d&amp;q=Ethan+Chapin&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiu1p60rZyOAxVdfzABHekEHXIQxccNegQIAhAF&amp;mstk=AUtExfAVHVDRi0V94ynk_-wXgwIe9p6AbGoJuzIiz0pCF7FCYFcqYP56aFCt_vMqUu7B0VzjpVsJ9CGG0U3uDDXjN-z2UWJXiAHpe-5dMrBL7SAcF26kj_tjAaHGQcYI7dU2WDq4CZwgj7-Gz0zgIEWPtFN-mEm4Jlb7ZlpRJ3ZAUROmbhuXvcRt8tahCE8pRTkhpY9R&amp;csui=3">Ethan Chapin</a>.
Kaylee Goncalves&#8217; sister Aubrie called the decision to take the death penalty off the table “shocking and cruel.” The family posted a statement to social media saying, “We are beyond furious at the state of Idaho. They have failed us.”
The defense has maintained that Kohberger is innocent, although initially the evidence against him seemed overwhelming. His car was caught on surveillance, his cell phone data was consistent with him being near the scene &#8212; not just on the night of the murder, but the next morning, and on about a dozen occasions leading up to the crime, always late at night. Most damning, his DNA was found on the knife sheath left at the scene, and his purchase history showed a black ski mask similar to the one described by the witness. He was also a criminology student with apparent interest in serial killers.
Defense attorney Anne Taylor did raise arguments for reasonable doubt. First, she filed a motion to have the DNA evidence thrown out because it was obtained, according to her, through an illegal genealogy search – that would have been devastating to the prosecution&#8217;s case. She also raised the issue of mystery DNA found in the bloody handprint. Investigators determined that there was DNA from two mystery males found in that print on the bannister, and DNA from a third mystery male was found on a glove outside the residence. There was also DNA from multiple individuals found under the fingernails of one of the victims, although it was inconclusive. The defense was planning to float an alternative suspect theory, and all they had to do was make one juror have doubts. These issues also could have theoretically provided fertile ground for appeals down the road.
However, in the past week, the judge dismissed the defense’s attempt to introduce alternative suspects. And not long before that, it was revealed that a DoorDash driver may have been at the scene delivering food at 4 a.m. when the crime occurred. In leaked police interview footage, that driver can be heard saying, “I saw Bryan there,” and she claimed she parked next to him.

MRN 7.2.25 Thumbnail_V1

Morning Brief: Senate Passes The Big Beautiful Bill, Alligator Alcatraz & Idaho Plea Deal

Congress

Idaho

Murder

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump is expected to visit Florida&#8217;s new illegal alien detention facility, dubbed &#8220;Alligator Alcatraz,&#8221; after protesters descended on the site over the weekend.
Construction began on the site — which Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-offers-alligator-alcatraz-to-house-illegal-aliens" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> &#8220;an old, virtually abandoned airport facility right in the middle of the Everglades&#8221; — earlier this month. According to a <a href="https://x.com/BreitbartNews/status/1938670525145924038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> by Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin, the costs of construction will be paid in part by a Biden-era <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dhs-has-clawed-back-the-59m-fema-paid-to-house-illegals-in-nyc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FEMA program</a> originally used to house illegal aliens in upscale hotels.
Uthmeier proposed the site in response to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis&#8217;s crackdown on illegal aliens, which has led to a <a href="https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/largest-joint-immigration-operation-florida-history-leads-1120-criminal-alien-arrests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">record number</a> of arrests. He <a href="https://x.com/WillCainShow_/status/1937980514708631776" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> the site &#8220;is ideal because of its surrounding area. It’s a low-cost, already developed 30 square mile area surrounded by the Everglades.&#8221;
Trump is expected to tour the facilities on Tuesday, at which point the facility should be fully operational. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the trip in a briefing Monday, saying the president was visiting to &#8220;underscore the need to pass the Big, Beautiful Bill,&#8221; which she said will help fund the construction of much-needed detention facilities.
Alligator Alcatraz will reportedly hold 5,000 illegal immigrants as they await deportation from the on-site runway. Amenities at the site include beds, laundry facilities, air conditioning, and medical care — the same Florida uses for hurricane relief, according to DeSantis.
Still, critics have slammed the facility as inhumane.
&#8220;Anyone who supports this is a disgusting excuse for a human being, let alone a public servant,&#8221; <a href="https://frost.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-maxwell-frost-blasts-florida-and-trump-administration-for-alligator-alcatraz-calls-detention-center-a-cruel-spectacle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL).
On Saturday, demonstrators lined the highway between Miami and the facility to protest its construction. In addition to claiming the facility is inhumane, they object to its location in the Everglades, which they say will harm the local ecosystem as well as the nearby Native American community.
The Center for Biological Diversity and the Friends of the Everglades have filed a lawsuit to stop construction at the site. These groups claim that the new project bypasses existing environmental laws and threatens the Everglades&#8217; ecosystem.
&#8220;This scheme is not only cruel, it threatens the Everglades ecosystem that state and federal taxpayers have spent billions to protect,&#8221; <a href="https://www.everglades.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FOE-Alligator-Alcatraz-Press-Release.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Eve Samples, the executive director of Friends of the Everglades.
&#8220;This is a lazy lawsuit,&#8221; McLaughlin <a href="https://x.com/RedWave_Press/status/1939703248492917171" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in response. &#8220;This land has been developed for over a decade now, so these environmental concerns have been fully handled by the State of Florida.&#8221;
DeSantis echoed this statement in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJfG7L9reHU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press conference</a> Monday, saying, &#8220;I think people are just trying to use the Everglades as a pretext for the fact that they oppose immigration enforcement.&#8221;
&#8220;We have the president of the United States coming down tomorrow to tout what Florida has done,&#8221; DeSantis said.
Leavitt confirmed DeSantis&#8217;s statement and added that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem would also tour the site. Leavitt praised DeSantis&#8217;s construction of the Alligator Alcatraz detention facility, which she said was a testament to Trump&#8217;s devotion to deporting criminal illegal aliens.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans – Round Three

Trump Plans Visit To Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Amid Protests, Lawsuit

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis chartered four flights to bring roughly 1,500 Jewish-Americans who evacuated from Israel back home to America.
The Americans on a 10-day Birthright Israel trip took an Israeli cruise vessel to Larnaca, Cyprus, while protected by the Israeli Navy. DeSantis chartered four wide-bodied jetliners to <a href="https://x.com/AviKaner/status/1934999128120942953">bring them</a> from Cyprus back to Tampa, Florida, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel <a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/06/17/u-s-jews-fleeing-israel-iran-hostilities-to-fly-home-in-florida-backed-airlift/">reported</a>.
“The remainder of the 2,800 international participants who were in Israel when war broke out on Friday have chosen to depart via other means or have chosen to stay in Israel with family,” the <a href="https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-858061">Jerusalem Post</a> reported.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thank you to Florida governor Ron DeSantis <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a> for helping repatriate 1,500 young Americans from their birthright trips in Israel. <a href="https://t.co/VlTqquSGgA">pic.twitter.com/VlTqquSGgA</a>
— Avi Kaner ابراهيم אבי (@AviKaner) <a href="https://twitter.com/AviKaner/status/1934999128120942953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“We have been working with the Israeli consulate, which has been in touch with the governor’s office,” Joy Prevor, vice president of projects for the Broward Jewish Federation, stated. “We are hopeful anyone who needs to get out will get out, but it is being done in a staged fashion. I just saw a video of the boat to Cyprus. It’s difficult because they were in such a stressful situation.”
“Thank God for the Iron Dome and thank God for Israel having a very developed text alert system,” she continued.
In October 2023, two weeks after the Hamas massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel, among whom were at least 30 Americans, DeSantis ordered an emergency airlift that brought home another 200 Americans. He also sent two large planes containing 85 pallets of donated supplies.
The donated Medical supplies included 735 Ace bandages, approximately 5,000 hospital gowns, 84 IV kits, 30,000+ needles, 30,000+ syringes, 57 ventilators, and 10,000+ boxes of surgical gloves. In addition to medical supplies, Florida also donated: 1,000+ children’s toys, 300+ sleeping bags, 1,000+ hygiene products, and 2,000+ articles of clothing.
DeSantis ripped the Biden administration at the time, saying, “With the lack of leadership in Washington, we are stepping up to help our allies in Israel who are in need of supplies and our support. As we continue to bring back Americans who were stranded in Israel when the war began, we will also keep sending the necessary health care supplies for Israel to care for those who have been injured.”

US-POLITICS-VOTE-DESANTIS

DeSantis Charters Jets To Rescue Americans Stranded In Israel

Global Politics

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