Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Wasserman Schultz Statement on the Everglades Internment Camp’s Reported Closure

Position: Rep. Wasserman Schultz opposes immigration detention practices exemplified by the Everglades Internment Camp, citing inhumane conditions, environmental damage, and fiscal waste. She calls for ICE reforms and accountability.

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) released the following statement on the reported closure of the Everglades Internment Camp, otherwise known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz’: "The Everglades internment camp’s closure is long overdue. This monument to cruelty, waste and environmental and tribal lands abuse should have never been built. At my surprise oversight inspection last month, I saw atrocious conditions that Florida taxpayers were forced to spend over $1 million a day on, just to cram people with no criminal history into cages and trample our sensitive Everglades. "This camp isn't closing because ICE leaders found a conscience. It’s closing because the Trump Administration still refuses to pay back Florida taxpayers more than $1 billion in tax dollars they basically lit on fire. I’m proud to have fought it at every turn, in Congress, in court, and alongside environmental advocates, Miccosukee tribal leaders, human rights defenders, and ordinary Floridians who rejected this abomination. "But this fight isn't done. Democrats will investigate this atrocity and demand accountability. We will keep fighting for reforms to stop ICE brutality and let law-abiding people live their lives." Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz Convenes Floridians, Small Business Owners to Sound the Alarm on Affordability

Position: Rep. Wasserman Schultz opposes Republican spending on immigration enforcement and advocates for the Gas Price Relief Act (suspending federal gas tax when prices exceed $4/gallon and redirecting oil/gas subsidies) and the Lowering Utility Bills Act (restricting utility company spending on lobbying and private expenses). She argues that funds allocated to immigration enforcement should instead support healthcare subsidies, food assistance, education, and clean energy.

Pembroke Pines, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) convened residents and small business owners to share how high gas, grocery and housing costs continue to hurt South Florida families and small business owners, as Republicans plan to return to Washington this week to seek billions of taxpayer dollars to fund cruel mass deportations by ICE and a Trump ballroom. Watch the livestream here. Backup video can be found here. When she last highlighted this problem, a gallon of regular unleaded in Florida was $4.16. Just a month later, that price surged to nearly $4.50 per gallon, an eight percent increase. During the press conference, Wasserman Schultz expressed support for the Gas Price Relief Act, which would suspend the 18.4-cent federal gas tax whenever the national average price of gas exceeds $4 per gallon and fully offset the lost revenue by redirecting roughly $30 billion in existing federal oil and gas subsidies into the fund. She also expressed support for the Lowering Utility Bills Act, which would bar transmission providers and for-profit utilities from requiring consumers to pay for private jet rides, lobbying, and contributions to politicians, and it sets a national standard for a reasonable ‘Return on Equity,’ to clamp down on for-profit utilities charging consumers unreasonable rates. “Americans struggle to afford food, gas, and healthcare, but Republicans ask taxpayers to pay $1 billion for a Trump ballroom,” said Wasserman Schultz. “With just the $210 billion that Republicans are gifting ICE and Border Patrol, we could extend the health care premium tax credits for at least 6 years, reverse the SNAP cuts from the Big Ugly Bill, fund a decade of free preschool for 4-year-olds, and fund the National School Lunch Program for a decade. We could fund Head Start for more than 15 years, we can restore the clean energy tax credits Republicans cut last year and expand rental and home buying assistance. That’s how you lower costs for South Florida families.” Wasserman Schultz was joined by Vannuchi Brothers Pizza owner Michael Reiter, LifeNet4Families employee and single mother Renae Cameron, and retiree and mother of a son with autism Elaine Terner. Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz Convenes Housing Affordability Roundtable

Position: Rep. Wasserman Schultz convened a roundtable on housing affordability in Florida and indicated support for legislative solutions focused on increasing housing supply, incentivizing development, and providing financial products to help families purchase homes rather than benefit investors.

Dania Beach, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) convened local elected leaders, housing advocates and residents facing skyrocketing housing costs to discuss possible solutions and reforms the affordability problem confronting nearly all Floridians when it comes to keeping a roof over their head. Watch the full press conference here. In Florida, the housing affordability crisis is driven primarily by an extreme shortage of homes, specifically the availability of affordable homes for renters at the lowest end of the income scale. For every 100 rental homes in the state, only 26 are both affordable and available on the market for low-income households. “Too many families are one hospital visit from bankruptcy and view the American dream as unattainable. Affordable housing is critical to achieving that dream,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Working people need an affordable place to settle down to raise a family. I want to make Florida that place once again. I’ll take what I heard here back to Washington and use them to help fight for solutions.” Wasserman Schultz is a member of the New Democrats Coalition, which has put forward a set of 14 bills that would address the housing crisis with a focus on boosting supply, incentivizing development, and positioning the government as a partner to put land to good use. It also includes financial products and incentives families can use to buy a home, not just to benefit investors. Wasserman Schultz was joined by Broward County Commissioner Nan Rich, Dania Beach Commissioner Lori Lewellen, Broward County Housing Authority CEO Parnell Joyce, Broward County Housing Finance Authority Executive Director Ralph Stone, Broward Legal Aid Director Jeff Hittleman, Dania Beach Housing Board Member Doug Hasty, Housing Foundation of America Chair Chester Bishop, LifeNet4Families CEO Denise Brown, and LifeNet4Families client Freddy Bonilla. Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz Stands With TPS Recipients, Advocates to Call on Supreme Court to Defend TPS

Position: Wasserman Schultz advocates for the Supreme Court to uphold Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for current holders, arguing that TPS recipients are law-abiding, tax-paying contributors to the workforce and economy who should not be forced to return to unsafe countries.

Plantation, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), joined Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients and immigration advocates to call on the U.S. Supreme Court to defend TPS after the court heard arguments in Miot v. Trump, a consolidated case challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of TPS for Haiti and Syria. This case also has significant implications for 1.3 million TPS holders of several nationalities across the country. Watch the full press conference here. “TPS holders earn work permits, pay taxes, and get zero government welfare. They pay into Medicare and Social Security and get nothing in return,” said Wasserman Schultz. “It does nobody any good to take good people out of the workforce, people who just came here to make a better life for their families.” “These are families who are contributing to our workforce, caring for our elderly, supporting our local economies, and raising the next generation of Americans,” said Denise Brown, CEO of LifeNet4Families. “The question before us is simple: Do we continue to leave these families in limbo, or do we recognize their humanity, their contributions, and their right to stability?” “Venezuelans have been living under the consequences of a decision from the Trump Administration that was abrupt, political, and disconnected from reality,” said Adelys Ferro, Venezuelan American Caucus Executive Director. “A decision that ignored a humanitarian crisis that has lasted over a decade. A decision that ignored the fact that Venezuela remains under a dictatorship where repression, corruption, persecution, and fear are still very much in place.” “This Administration professes to uphold the rule of law. Few people symbolize respect for the rule of law more than TPS beneficiaries. Those who have been on TPS since 2010, it’s akin to being on probation for fifteen years and never violating it,” said Frandley Julien, an immigration attorney. “So those people, when you think of them, are law-abiding citizens. We cannot let the Administration commit such injustice against hard-working, law-abiding citizens.” “Everything that I’ve known – all of my family, all of my relations – are in the United States,” said Nora Massenat, a Haitian TPS recipient. “I don’t want to end up uprooting all of the relationships and all of the things that I’ve built in the United States – that I’ve come to know and to love – to move to a country that is unsafe and uncertain, where I don’t have my family there.” Wasserman Schultz led more than 180 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of the plaintiffs in this case. The brief urges the Court to preserve TPS protections, emphasizing the bipartisan support for TPS and the immense public interest served by TPS holders in Florida and across the United States. The brief also highlights how the TPS statute was intended to provide a safe haven for those who are fleeing violence abroad. The full amicus brief can be found here. Wasserman Schultz is a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 and has led several previous amicus briefs in support of Venezuelan and Haitian TPS recipients. She has also signed discharge petitions to force a vote on restoring TPS for Venezuelans and for Haitians, the latter of which, led by Rep. Pressley, secured the requisite 218 signatures and passed the House of Representatives. Receive regular email updates from Debbie

WLRN: Wasserman Schultz joins advocates to urge US Supreme Court to protect TPS for Haitians, Venezuelans

Position: Wasserman Schultz urges the U.S. Supreme Court to protect and extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitian, Venezuelan, and Syrian immigrants, arguing that TPS holders contribute economically through work and tax payments while facing danger in their home countries.

Just days after the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for restoring Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants, Democratic South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Friday urged the nation's highest court to grant the extension of TPS. With TPS recipients and immigrant advocates at her side at a news conference in Plantation, the veteran lawmaker from Weston said a court decision favorable to Haitians and Syrians would potentially benefit 1.3 million TPS holders, including hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans. She has been a longtime supporter of Haitian and Venezuelan TPS holders. “TPS holders earn work permits, pay taxes, and get zero government welfare. They pay into Medicare and Social Security and get nothing in return,” said Wasserman Schultz. “It does nobody any good to take good people out of the workforce, people who just came here to make a better life for their families.” The Supreme Court's conservative majority, however, seemed ready Wednesday in Miot v. Trump to side with the Trump administration by potentially proceeding with mass deportations of more than a million foreign nationals, including those from Haiti and Syria, who live and work legally in the United States. Tens of thousands of Haitian TPS recipients live and work in Florida, especially South Florida, making the state home to the largest number in the nation. Until now these individuals have been accorded temporary legal status because their safety is imperiled by war or natural disasters in their home countries. " Our neighbors deserve better than being sent to a failed state where kidnappings for ransom are common and criminal gangs are the highest paying employers," Wasserman Schultz said. Congress enacted the Temporary Protected Status program in 1990, and every president since then — Republican and Democrat — has embraced TPS. President Trump, however, is trying to end it. Trump's solicitor general, D. John Sauer, told the justices that the statute clearly bars any court review of the administration's decisions. And he dismissed the idea that a separate law established to provide procedural fairness does not allow the courts to review the Homeland Security agency's decision-making either. Pressed by the court's three liberal justices, Sauer insisted that the courts cannot review anything. Representing the Haitians, lawyer Geoffrey Pipoly described the administration's review as "a sham." "The true reason for the termination [of TPS status] is the president's racial animus toward non-white immigrants and bare dislike of Haitians in particular," Pipoly said. "The secretary herself described people from Haiti" and from other non-white countries as "killers, leeches, saying, 'We don't want them, not one,'" while "simultaneously enacting another humanitarian form of relief for white and only white South Africans." At Friday's press conference with Wasserman Schultz in Sunrise, immigrant advocates and Haitian TPS recipients steered clear of the racist argument. Instead, they spoke about the contributions of all TPS holders to the U.S. economy. Denise Brown, CEO of LifeNet4Families, said TPS holders "are contributing to our workforce, caring for our elderly, supporting our local economies, and raising the next generation of Americans." “The question before us is simple: Do we continue to leave these families in limbo, or do we recognize their humanity, their contributions, and their right to stability?” Brown said. Adelys Ferro, a longtime Venezuelan activist who is executive director of the South Florida-based Venezuelan American Caucus, said the Trump administration decision last year to strip TPS from Venezuelans "was abrupt, political, and disconnected from reality.” She said the decision "ignored" the decade long humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and "ignored the fact that Venezuela remains under a dictatorship where repression, corruption, persecution, and fear are still very much in place.” Frandley Julien, an immigration attorney, said TPS holders are thoroughly vetted by federal immigration authorities and are law-abiding immigrants. "Few people symbolize respect for the rule of law more than TPS beneficiaries," Julien said. "Those [Haitians] who have been on TPS since 2010, it’s akin to being on probation for fifteen years and never violating it." TPS recipients lose their status if they are convicted of a single felony offense or two misdemeanor offenses. Nora Massenat, a Haitian TPS recipient since 2010, told reporters at the news conference that she's created an entirely new life in the United States. “I don’t want to end up uprooting all of the relationships and all of the things that I’ve built in the United States — that I’ve come to know and to love — to move to a country that is unsafe and uncertain, where I don’t have my family there.” Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz, Van Duyne Introduce the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act

Washington, DC – U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) and Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) introduced H.R. 8358 the Breast Cancer Research Stamp Reauthorization Act of 2026. This legislation extends the U.S. Postal Service’s authority to issue the Breast Cancer Research semipostal stamp for an additional 10 years, ensuring continued voluntary funding for breast cancer research. A companion bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV). The Breast Cancer Research stamp has raised millions of dollars for lifesaving research while giving Americans a simple way to support the fight against breast cancer. With the current authorization set to expire in 2027, this bill ensures the program can continue supporting innovative research and advancing progress against one of the most common cancers affecting women in the United States. “I know what it's like to hear the dreaded words: 'you have breast cancer.' As a survivor, this fight is personal,” said Wasserman Schultz. “That's why I'm proud to lead this bipartisan effort to reauthorize the Breast Cancer Research stamp program, which raised nearly $100 million for lifesaving studies at the Defense Department and NIH. Every stamp purchase is a commitment to beat this deadly disease.” “The Breast Cancer Research stamp program proves that small actions can make a big difference, raising nearly $100 million for lifesaving research over the past three decades,” said Van Duyne. “I am glad to lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to extend the program for another decade to give Americans an easy, voluntary way to support the fight against a disease that impacts 1 in 8 women.” Wasserman Schultz and Van Duyne were joined by Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-2), Steve Cohen (D-TN-9), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-6), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1), John Garamendi (D-CA-8), and Doris Matsui (D-CA-7) in introducing the bill. The bill was also supported by the Alliance for Women's Health and Prevention, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Women’s Association, American Society of Breast Surgeons, American Society of Plastic Surgeons, American Society for Radiation Oncology, Breastcancer.org, Cancer Nation, CancerCare, Check for a Lump, DenseBreast-info, Inc., FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, HealthyWomen, Living Beyond, Breast Cancer, Livestrong, Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance Inc., Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance, Men Supporting Women With Cancer, METAvivor Research and Support, NAACP, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health, National Black Nurses Association, National Cancer Registrars Association, National Consortium of Breast Centers, Nueva Vida, Oncology Nursing Society, Prevent Cancer Foundation, SHARE Cancer Support, Society of Breast Imaging, Susan G. Komen, The Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer, Tigerlily Foundation, Triage Cancer, Unite for HER, and Young Survival Coalition. “Susan G. Komen applauds the leadership of Senators Rosen and Moody and Congresswomen Van Duyne and Wasserman-Schultz in introducing legislation to reauthorize the Breast Cancer Research Stamp and urge Congress to swiftly act. This bicameral, bipartisan legislation represents a critical opportunity to sustain a proven, innovative funding mechanism that has advanced lifesaving breast cancer research,” said Molly Guthrie, vice president of policy and advocacy for Susan G. Komen.“For almost three decades, the Breast Cancer Research Stamp has raised nearly $98 million for breast cancer research—research that has led to significant progress in the detection and treatment of this disease but is still estimated to take the lives of 43,000 Americans in 2026 alone. Every dollar raised through the Breast Cancer Research Stamp can help advance needed discoveries and save more lives.” “For decades, progress against breast cancer has depended on strong, sustained support for research. The Breast Cancer Research Stamp has empowered Americans to be part of that effort while helping generate critical funding for breast cancer research at the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense medical research programs. Reauthorizing the stamp preserves a proven tool that raises awareness of breast cancer and helps fuel scientific innovation to improve treatment options and resources for patients, survivors, and those at high risk of the disease.” said Ronald J. Weigel, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, Medical Director, Cancer Programs, American College of Surgeons. Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz, Pressley, Markey, Van Hollen Lead Over 180 Democrats in Supreme Court Amicus Brief to Defend Temporary Protected Status

Position: The lawmakers argue that the Trump administration's termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria is unlawful and should be reversed by the Supreme Court. They contend that TPS holders are law-abiding, economically productive residents who face danger if forced to return to their home countries.

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Rep. Ayanna Pressley(MA-07), Sen. Edward Markey, and Sen. Chris Van Hollen led 26 Senators and 157 Representatives in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Miot v. Trump, a consolidated case challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria. This case also has significant implications for 1.3 million TPS holders of several nationalities across the country. “Haiti is overrun by criminal gangs, who kidnap women and girls, extort residents for protection money, and kill with impunity. We must preserve their TPS and protect their lives and safety,” said Wasserman Schultz. “As a descendent of immigrants who fled repression and antisemitism, I'll always fight for law-abiding immigrant families who fled desperate circumstances and who work hard, pay taxes, pass criminal background checks, and contribute to our economy and communities.” “Our Haitian neighbors are dedicated parents, workers, caregivers, faith leaders, business owners, and children who strengthen our communities and are essential to our economy,” said Pressley. “Trump's attempts to end Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, Venezuela, Syria, and other nations in crisis is cruel, unlawful, and life-threatening for families across the country, which is why we’re using every tool available to push back. The Supreme Court must uphold the law and preserve these essential, life-saving protections for our neighbors.” “The humanitarian crisis in Haiti is dire and worsening, and Haitian TPS holders are unable to return home safely,” said Markey. “As Donald Trump unlawfully strips this community of critical legal protections, we must protect the individuals who came to our country seeking safe harbor. We must also protect all TPS holders, who are deeply rooted in Massachusetts and in communities across the country—they are our friends, our family members, our neighbors, and our colleagues. We must not turn our backs on them now.” “For thousands of Haitians and Syrians – many of whom have been living and working here legally for years after fleeing for their safety—being forced to leave the United States would put their lives and their livelihoods at grave risk. The Administration is asking the Supreme Court to disregard that danger, while also rubber-stamping the Administration’s effort to ignore Congressional intent around the TPS program as a whole—so they can terminate countries’ designations across the board to advance their mass deportation agenda. As this brief makes clear, the Supreme Court must stop this lawless Administration from carrying out politically motivated TPS cancellations—which will force countless people back to countries where it is unsafe to return,” said Van Hollen. The full Amicus Brief can be found here. In the brief, lawmakers urge the Court to preserve TPS protections, emphasizing the bipartisan support for TPS and the immense public interest served by TPS holders in Florida and across the United States. The brief also highlights how the TPS statute was intended to provide safe haven to protect those who are fleeing violence abroad. Wasserman Schultz is a lead sponsor of the bipartisan Venezuela TPS Act of 2025 and has led several previous amicus briefs in support of Venezuelan and Haitian TPS recipients. She has also signed discharge petitions to force a vote on restoring TPS for Venezuelans and for Haitians, the latter of which, led by Rep. Pressley, secured the requisite 218 signatures to bring it to the House floor. In the House, in addition to Wasserman Schultz and Pressley, the Amicus Brief was signed by: Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA), Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (CA), Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted W. Lieu (CA), Assistant Democratic Leader Joe Neguse (CO), Angie Craig (MN), Mark DeSaulnier (CA), Robert Garcia (CA), Jared Huffman (CA), James P. McGovern (MA), Gregory W. Meeks (NY), Joseph D. Morelle (NY), Richard Neal (MA), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ), Jamie Raskin (MD), Adam Smith (WA), Bennie G. Thompson (MS), Nydia M Velazquez (NY), Maxine Waters (CA), Yvette D. Clarke (NY), Adriano Espaillat (NY), Grace Meng (NY), Gabe Amo (RI), Yassamin Ansari (AZ), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Becca Balint (VT), Nanette Barragán (CA), Joyce Beatty (OH), Wesley Bell (MO), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA), Suzanne Bonamici (OR), Shontel M. Brown (OH), Julia Brownley (CA), Janelle Bynum (OR), André Carson (IN), Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA), Sean Casten (IL), Kathy Castor (FL), Joaquin Castro (TX), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL), Judy Chu (CA), Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO), Herb Conaway Jr. (NJ), Joe Courtney (CT), Jasmine Crockett (TX), Jason Crow (CO), Danny Davis (IL), Diana DeGette (CO), Suzan DelBene (WA), Christopher Deluzio (PA), Maxine Dexter (OR), Debbie Dingell (MI), Lloyd Doggett (TX), Sarah Elfreth (MD), Veronica Escobar (TX), Dwight Evans (PA), Cleo Fields (LA), Shomari Figures (AL), Lizzie Fletcher (TX), Valerie Foushee (NC), Lois Frankel (FL), Laura Friedman (CA), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX), Laura Gillen (NY), Dan Goldman (NY), Jimmy Gomez (CA), Josh Gottheimer (NJ), Al Green (TX), Adelita S. Grijalva (AZ), Jahana Hayes (CT), Jim Himes (CT), Steven A. Horsford (NV), Steny H. Hoyer (MD), Val T. Hoyle (OR), Glenn F. Ivey (MD), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL), Pramila Jayapal (WA), Henry C. ("Hank") Johnson, Jr. (GA), Julie Johnson (TX), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA), William R. Keating (MA), Robin L. Kelly (IL), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY), Ro Khanna (CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL), Greg Landsman (OH), John B. Larson (CT), Summer Lee (PA), Susie Lee (NV), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM), Mike Levin (CA), Sam Liccardo (CA), Stephen F. Lynch (MA), John W. Mannion (NY), Doris Matsui (CA), Lucy McBath (GA), Sarah McBride (DE), April McClain Delaney (MD), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA), Betty McCollum (MN), Morgan McGarvey (KY), LaMonica McIver (NJ), Christian Menefee (TX), Rob Menendez (NJ), Kweisi Mfume (MD), Dave Min (CA), Gwen S. Moore (WI), Jared Moskowitz (FL), Seth Moulton (MA), Frank J. Mrvan (IN), Kevin Mullin (CA), Jerrold Nadler (NY), Donald Norcross (NJ), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Ilhan Omar (MN), Nancy Pelosi (CA), Scott H. Peters (CA), Brittany Pettersen (CO), Chellie Pingree (ME), Mark Pocan (WI), Nellie Pou (NJ), Mike Quigley (IL), Delia C Ramirez (IL), Luz Rivas (CA), Deborah Ross (NC), Andrea Salinas (OR), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Bradley Scott Schneider (IL), Hillary Scholten MI), Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA), Terri Sewell (AL), Brad Sherman (CA), Lateefah Simon (CA), Darren Soto (FL), Greg Stanton (AZ), Haley Stevens (MI), Suhas Subramanyam (VA), Tom Suozzi (NY), Shri Thanedar (MI), Mike Thompson (CA), Dina Titus (NV), Rashida Tlaib (MI), Paul Tonko (NY), Norma J Torres (CA), Ritchie Torres (NY), Lori Trahan (MA), Juan Vargas (CA), Eugene Vindman (VA), James R. Walkinshaw (VA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ), Nikema Williams (GA), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL). In the Senate, in addition to Markey and Van Hollen, the Amicus Brief was signed by: Angela Alsobrooks (MD), Michael F. Bennet (CO), Richard Blumenthal (CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Cory A. Booker (NJ), Maria Cantwell (WA), Christopher A. Coons (DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Tammy Duckworth (IL), Richard J. Durbin (IL), John Fetterman (PA), Ruben Gallego (AZ), John Hickenlooper (CO), Tim Kaine (VA), Mark Kelly (AZ), Andy Kim (NJ), Ben Ray Luján (NM), Alex Padilla (CA), Jack Reed (RI), Jacky Rosen (NV), Adam B. Schiff (CA), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Raphael Warnock (GA), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Peter Welch (VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (RI). Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz Gathers Small Business Owners to Discuss Impact of Trump Tariffs

Position: Rep. Wasserman Schultz opposes the Trump administration's tariff policies, arguing they harm small businesses through increased material and production costs, reduce profit margins, and threaten local economic stability.

Ft Lauderdale, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) convened local small business owners to discuss how their companies and customers are impacted by high costs of materials and production because of tariffs levied by the Trump administration. To watch the press conference, click here and here. For B-Roll, click here. President Trump has quickly spiraled the American economy into recession by unilaterally starting a trade war with the rest of the world. Small businesses are disproportionately affected, operating on thinner margins and less likely to be able to navigate complex and onerous “reciprocal” tariffs with our largest trading partners. “We need to make life easier for the folks brave enough to be their own boss and keep our economy running,” said Wasserman Schultz. “These are the folks who put our local values into the Florida economy, and I’ll do all I can to support them and save them from being crushed by Republicans’ massive tariffs.” “Mi producto principal es mantequilla que trago de Francia... Yo pagaba como 83, 90 dolares una caja, hoy estoy pagando 213 dolares una caja,” said Owner of Lady Baker and LB Eatery Paula Marsola, “Entonces es muy dificil continuar un business cuando los principales productos tienen precios más altos.” “We represent 121,000 jobs in this county alone and $9.98 billion, but that can all go away,” said President and CEO of Wards Marine Electric Kristina Hebert, “Boats have choices – where they want to go, where they want to receive their services and we need to keep those coming here. There’s a domino effect of all of that economic impact.” “One does not just suddenly open a factory in the US and start making this specialized product here, like ‘poof.’ But it was like ‘poof’ that I suddenly began getting hit with the tariffs,” said Owner of VB Hose Clamps Valerie Bressler, “It has been about 4.5% of my annual revenues for the past year. For a small, sole proprietorship, that’s kind of a lot. We’re having to pass it along to the customers, we’re having to lower margins – it’s a difficult road.” “Tariffs have had a domino effect. The cost of goods – when I look at my invoices from 2025 until now – range anywhere from 8 to 49% more,” said Juici Patties Franchisee Annette Kidd, “The domino effect of that is the impact it has on customers. They’re spending less because they have less to go out and eat with because their prices are more increased, and therefore you have less traffic coming through the store as well as less revenues – they’re spending less per ticket item.” “Overnight we had to figure out how to finance paying tariffs within seven days, but then also to finance it from the thirty to sixty days it takes to get paid and to sell the flowers to the consumer,” said Executive VP of the Association of Floral Importers of America Christine Boldt, “Flowers are a luxury, and so it’s not something that everyone is going to all-of-the-sudden put into their cart if they’re worried about paying for milk and butter and bread and meat.” “The tariffs are really scary for the gift basket industry. I know it’s scary for my business,” said Owner of Joyce’s Baskets Joyce Arrieta, “I’ve noticed a lot of the businesses that I purchase products from have went out of business, and the ones that are staying the prices are so high that they have to pass that along to us due to the tariffs. It makes it difficult for me as a small business owner to continue to pivot and make prices affordable for my online shoppers and clients.” Impact of Trump Tariffs in Florida: Receive regular email updates from Debbie

BLOOMBERG: Rep. Wasserman Schultz: Trump Strategy 'Chaotic' on Iran

Position: Rep. Wasserman Schultz criticizes the Trump administration's approach to Iran as chaotic and expresses concern about unresolved regional conflicts in Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz. She indicates support for a war powers resolution as a mechanism to constrain executive action.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) points to unresolved fighting in Lebanon and the still-closed Strait of Hormuz as key challenges facing any broader agreement with Iran. The Congresswoman also discussed a vote on a war powers resolution, saying her goal is to "control the crazy." She speaks with Kailey Leinz on the late edition Bloomberg's "Balance of Power." Receive regular email updates from Debbie

Wasserman Schultz Discusses Unannounced Everglades Detention Center Oversight Visit

Position: Rep. Wasserman Schultz opposes the operation of the Everglades Detention Center, characterizing conditions as inhumane and calling for federal prohibition of funding for the facility's construction, reimbursement, or operation.

Ochopee, FL – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) made an unannounced visit to conduct an oversight inspection of the Everglades Detention Center. Last summer, Democratic Members of Florida’s Congressional Delegation were given a sanitized tour of the site by Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) and federal officials. Members promised to conduct an unannounced review of the site at a future date. For B-Roll of the press conference, click here. For audio from the press call, click here. “Like nine months ago, I came away with the reaction that this facility is inhumane, that the way the detainees are housed is cruel and unnecessary, that ICE is hiding behind Florida state agencies to avoid any obligation to treat people humanely, and that the cost of the facility itself is being hidden behind the state of Florida,” said Wasserman Schultz. “On many of the questions that I had about how decisions are made about, they said that I had to talk to someone from ICE – who was on the premises – but refused to talk to me following the tour.” While in the facility, Wasserman Schultz saw an area with just under 1,500 detainees housed in cages. That area smelled of urine, was humid, and “wall-to-wall men.” Toilets and sinks were stained and dirty, and not private. Food marked as ‘fresh’ was nearly two weeks old and served in small portions. Despite arguments in court that the facility is solely state-run and thus not subject to Federal humane detention standards, Wasserman Schultz was told ICE maintained an active daily presence at the facility. FDEM staff repeatedly deferred questions regarding day-to-day detention operations to ICE. Wasserman Schultz was also denied access to meet with detained people who had filled out privacy waivers in advance or to hear from them directly. Wasserman Schultz has championed a provision in the Department of Homeland Security funding law that prohibits any Administration from using funds to prevent a Member of Congress from entering any facility where immigrants are detained. Detainees have reported being treated inhumanely, denied access to medication and medical treatment, being sent to a punishment cell, and more to Wasserman Schultz’s office. Wasserman Schultz previously visited the facility in July with fellow Members of Congress and state elected officials, but it was a state government-run tour that she described as “sanitized” and “whitewashed.” The Everglades Detention Center has cost Florida taxpayers at least $640 million in state funding, and analysts have estimated that its operations cost $1.2 million per day and roughly $1.1 billion per year. Sixty-five percent of detainees do not have a criminal history and only 27 percent are categorized as ‘high threat’ by ICE. Wasserman Schultz is the lead sponsor of legislation that would prohibit the use of federal funds to construct, reimburse, or operate any detention facility in the Everglades. The No Cages in the Everglades Act would also permanently codify the appropriations provision barring any Administration from preventing Members of Congress or their staff from conducting oversight visits at detention facilities, with no exceptions for facilities operated by State or local governments or by private contractors. Receive regular email updates from Debbie