Immigration politics affect everyday life in South Florida. Immigrants face challenges, fear and uncertainty as policies continue to change in the United States.
In 2025, the Trump administration aggressively dismantled Temporary Protection Status, or TPS, terminating designations for Venezuela, Nicaragua, Honduras and Haiti.
Omar Banegas migrated from Honduras as a child. After medical complications left him blind, his parents brought him to the United States at 1-year-old for better medical care and opportunities.
“This has been my home,” said Banegas. “But because we are pretty much in the air, we don’t know what’s gonna happen.”
North Miami’s City Clerk, Vanessa Joseph, is an immigration attorney at Catholic Legal Services, who works closely with immigrants who need legal representation.
“I think that oftentimes people see immigration as being about policy and paperwork when really it’s just about people looking for peace, looking for a better life, looking for protection for their family,” said Joseph.
After facing political persecution by the political regime in Venezuela, Liset Ballestero had to flee from her home country. She arrived in the United States seeking stability and a chance to rebuild her life, working in domestic service.
“We are doing our best so that this country can progress and have better people inside the country,” said Ballestero. “There’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to stay…only God knows what the future holds.”
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