TPS, Trump and PAC money: Key takeaways from District 24 debate

Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald on Jul 23, 2026

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MIAMI — A crowd of about 300 gathered at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex on Wednesday to hear eight candidates vying to succeed Congresswoman Frederica Wilson in District 24.

In attendance were entrepreneur Te Mayonna Brown; cultural arts leader Marshall L. Davis; Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert; state Sen. Shevrin Jones; attorney and late Congresswoman Carrie Meek’s grandson Kendrick Meek Jr.; former county Commissioner Jean Monestime; physician Rudy Moise; and attorney Roderick Vereen.

The forum was hosted by the Miami Herald, MIA Media Group, NBC 6 and WLRN.

Here are the key takeaways from Wednesday night’s debate:

Immigration, temporary protected status were hot topics

Weeks after a Supreme Court ruling effectively terminated Temporary Protected Status for at least 300,000 Haitians, immigration took on elevated importance at the forum. One candidate, the only Republican on stage, criticized the H-1B visa program, saying it steals jobs from American citizens.

“Every H-1B visa robs an American citizen of a job, of a career, because of cheap foreign labor,” Brown said during the forum. “We need to go for it so we can make sure that each one of our American citizens have a job.“

Brown’s comments received a terse reaction from the standing-room-only crowd, and from Gilbert, who shot back at Brown’s claim. “I’m not going to sit here while we blame immigrants for people not having jobs. I think it’s very dangerous,” Gilbert said. “That pits labor against labor in this district, and that can’t be something that we do.”

The Little Haiti Cultural Complex is in the heart of the Haitian community and last week hosted a rally in support of TPS holders and the passing of Senate Bill 4818, which would extend TPS for Haitians through January 2029. TPS was scheduled to expire Friday for Haitians because of the recent Supreme Court ruling, but a recent U.S. Court of Appeals ruling pushed the deadline to July 27.

While most were in agreement for a solution to extend TPS and said they’d support SB 4814 only one person, Gilbert, said the U.S. should also invest in Haiti. “We need to invest in infrastructure. We need to invest in security. We need to invest in allowing Haitians to actually want to be the redevelopment of Haiti,” he said.

Trump administration criticized

Many of the candidates criticized the Trump administration’s handling of immigration enforcement and treatment of immigrants in detention centers. Candidates overall urged for a reform of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Meek suggesting he would support getting rid of ICE and Jones calling for the closing of all immigration detention centers, akin to what happened with Alligator Alcatraz.

Meek said his father confronted an ICE agent recently as they were accosting a man who was helping another person. “This is what we’re seeing on our streets. This is what we’re seeing in our communities,” he said.

Gilbert took it a step further with his criticism of the president: “We need a new president.”

Brown shot back, “We need to respect the president,” she said. “That’s what we need to do. If we are Christians, we know that the Bible tells us to pray for who’s in leadership.”

Super PAC donations come up

Gilbert, Jones and Meek – who were seated next to each other – threw shots at each other about campaign donations. Meek, without using names, criticized both Jones and Gilbert for donations received from CDR and The Geo Group, companies that have made money off immigration enforcement in Florida.

An analysis by the Miami Herald found that CDR, a contractor that provided services to the Alligator Alcatraz immigrant detention facility in the Everglades, had donated $105,000 to incumbents in the Miami-Dade County government, the bulk of which went to Gilbert’s PAC Common Voices. CDR also supported Jones’ campaign when he first ran for Senate in 2020, with a $2,500 donation to his PAC Florida Strong Finish and another $5,000 donation in 2021.

Meek also criticized Jones for receiving campaign funds from Boca Raton-based private and state prison operator The Geo Group, which is also an ICE contractor. In 2019, Jones’ PAC received $5,000 and $2,500 in 2024 and again in 2026. A spokesperson with Jones’ campaign said he returned those funds in 2019 and plans to return the 2024 and 2026 funds. (In an interview with Uncle Luke, who is running in the District 20 race, Gilbert disputed that claim.)

Jones and Gilbert turned the focus on their political experience, with Jones noting he has served in both the Florida House and Senate, following the footsteps of District 24’s Frederica Wilson, Carrie Meek, and Kendrick Meek.

“I’m the only person up here with the legislative experience to go to Washington D.C. and do the promise that I told you before,” Jones said. “I’m asking you to believe me on my receipts that I brought back to you.”

Gilbert touted his experience building up Miami Gardens as mayor and bringing businesses to the city and his endorsement from Wilson.

“The best indicator of what someone will do is what they have done,” he said. “I have worked. I brought home results. She trusts me to do it. I hope you will also.”