12 February 12-18, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | and Hondurans and Venezuelans and Hai- tians who, up to this year, had some sort of le- gal protection which is now being revoked under the new administration,” Bozzetto says. “These are the people who did everything that they were asked to do, who passed a back- ground check, who were fingerprinted, and who were authorized to live and work. And now, they’re losing their opportunity to live with dignity.” Her antidote to the nationwide immigra- tion crackdown? Public education. Logisti- cally, she says, her day-to-day comprises everything from community presentations to actively mapping out where and when ICE detentions take place — she says the most alarming part is the scale to which local police departments and other state agen- cies are being told to cooperate. “Because im- migration en- forcement has been executed by our state police, by our Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), by our lo- cal municipal government, we have gigantic numbers of ar- rests and immigration encounters that are, in a way, invisible, because they happen through everyday interactions, so it’s very insidious. The ‘enemy’ is closer than we think.” Still, Bozzetto’s vision for the future of Florida is ambitious, unwavering, and practi- cal. She tells New Times she wants to deepen political education in communities across the state, so that residents understand not just their rights, but also how to hold elected offi- cials accountable for the choices they make. Above all, she clings to the welcoming spirit of the South Florida she’s always known: a region that is multilingual, cultur- ally rich, and powered by the labor and cre- ativity of people from all over the world. After all these years, she’s trying to pay it forward: “We all deserve the opportunity to be safe in the place that we call home.” [email protected] Renata Bozzetto photo Renata Bozzetto People to Watch from p11 P E O P L E TO WATC H 2026
