Author Archives: Olivia Fox

Florida’s Alligator Alcatraz: Testing the Limits of 287(g)

By: Arianna Roque In August 2025, a federal district court judge momentarily halted operations at Florida’s controversial immigration facility following reports of environmental violations and concerns about damage to surrounding wetlands.[1] Nicknamed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the injunction was later stayed by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.[2] While the environmental debate initially captured the courts and […]

Dark Pleas and Faulty Forensics: The Role of Flawed DNA Evidence in Coerced Guilty Pleas

By: Sydney Perkins             Post-conviction proceedings reveal a striking asymmetry. While the introduction of scientifically invalid forensic evidence can easily secure a conviction, newly discovered evidence undermining that conviction rarely guarantees relief. Such evidence, rather than securing immediate exoneration, frequently becomes the basis for coercive prosecutorial bargaining.             Consider the following scenario: after spending nearly […]

Lord of the Banned: Florida’s First Amendment Challenge

By: Kimberly Castillo Slaughterhouse Five, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Kite Runner, Looking for Alaska, and The Color Purple have been among the titles removed from Florida public school libraries’ shelves.[1] In just one school year, book removals nearly doubled from around 300 titles in 2022-2023 to over 700 titles in 2023-2024.[2] […]

Publication of Volume 15, Issue 2

The Board of Editors of the Race and Social Justice Law Review is pleased to announce our recent issue publication of Volume 15, Issue 2. The online publication can be viewed at: https://race-and-social-justice-review.law.miami.edu/ Issue 2 continues to explore the Equal Protection Clause, crime of violence enhancements, qualified immunity for private actors, and racial gerrymandering. Thank you for supporting […]