4 May 8-14, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | ▼ COLOMBIA HOPE SPRINGS FAMILY FIGHTS TO RETURN UF STUDENT TO U.S. BY ALEX DELUCA T he family of a University of Flor- ida student who self-deported to his native Colombia last month after he was detained by immi- gration officials is fighting to re- turn him to U.S. soil. A GoFundMe campaign launched by the loved ones of Felipe Zapata Velásquez — a 28-year-old Colombian international student who chose to self-deport to his home country after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a traf- fic stop in late March — is raising money to help him return to the U.S. and complete his studies at UF. “He came to the U.S. to pursue a dream of education, growth, and giving back. That dream is now hanging in the balance,” the fundraiser states. “We — Felipe’s family, friends, and supporters — are raising funds to help ease the heavy burden of this experience and to support the legal fight to bring Felipe back and restore his life and dignity.” As of Friday, May 2, the campaign had raised more than $6,400 toward its $10,000 goal. Zapata Velásquez was just one of more than 1,800 international students who were abruptly stripped of their ability to stay in the U.S. before the Trump administration abruptly reversed course last week, reinstating thousands of student visas across the nation and leaving dozens of Florida students in limbo. Like many of the other students who lost their visas, Zapata Velásquez was in the U.S. under an F-1 visa, which allows international students to study in this country. On March 28, the Gainesville Police Department arrested Zapata Velásquez for driving with an expired license and registration tag. Three days later, Alachua County Jail officials released him to ICE, which transported him to the Krome Detention Center in Miami for further processing. On April 6, ICE confirmed his voluntary departure to Colombia. As New Times previously reported, Zapata Velásquez appears to have been the first in- stance in which ICE detained a Florida college student since President Donald Trump commenced his immigration crackdown. An ICE spokes- person told New Times that Zapata Velásquez’s student status was terminated from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SE- VIS) in October 2024 owing to his failure to enroll. (Students must enroll in SEVIS at the start of each school year to maintain their F-1 status). Yet UF spokesperson Steve Orlando said that he was enrolled at the university at the time, and was also enrolled last fall. Orlando confirmed that as of April 29, Zapata Ve- lásquez remains enrolled at UF but he de- clined to provide additional details, citing student privacy laws. [email protected] | RIPTIDE | The family of Felipe Zapata Velásquez, a UF student who self-deported to his native Colombia last month after being detained by ICE, is fighting to return him to the U.S. Screenshot via Local 10 News/YouTube ▼ SPORTSBALL LOCAL COLOR DOLPHINS TO GET NEW NFL ‘RIVALRIES’ UNIFORMS. BY RYAN YOUSEFI T he Miami Dolphins are about to get a wardrobe update — and no, it’s not the one fans have been clamoring for for years. On Day Two of the NFL Draft, the NFL and Nike announced the launch of “Rivalries,” a new uniform and fan gear program designed to “su- percharge” division matchups over the next four seasons. And the Dolphins, along with the rest of the AFC East and the NFC West, are the first wave of teams selected for the rollout. We know what you’re thinking. Anytime the Dolphins are mentioned in the same sentence as “uniforms,” the Miami mind gets an instant do- pamine rush in anticipation that this could be the moment the team finally makes those clean 1970s throwback jerseys a mainstay. Deep breath, y’all. This is not that. According to the NFL’s press release, the Ri- valries program will be a new initiative that ele- vates NFL rivalry games by drawing inspiration from local community insights for each team’s design. Each team will debut a unique Rivalries uniform for a single home game against a divi- sion foe. Once revealed, the uniforms will remain in each team’s lineup for three seasons, worn once per year. The NFL went further, teasing that the de- signs have been brought to life by drawing inspi- ration from each market’s history and the aspects of the community that only that team’s city embodies. Sound a bit familiar? It should. From the sound of things, the “Rivalries” jerseys ap- pear to be the NFL’s take on the NBA’s “City Edition” and MLB’s “City Connect” jerseys. Once again, we know what you’re thinking. Are the Miami Dolphins about to drop a Miami Vice-inspired jersey? If you’re follow- ing the money in sports, which you always should, the survey says... it’s entirely possible. Since its debut in 2018 as Miami’s first City Edition jersey, the Vice uniform quickly became a sensation. It remains the most successful uni- form and brand campaign during Nike’s partner- ship with the NBA. Yes, that same Nike that is making these Rivalries jerseys. (Is there another Nike?) Are you following the breadcrumbs yet? Before this season, the NBA announced that more than 230,000 Vice jerseys had been sold since the alternative jersey debuted in its original form in 2018, generating approximately $25 mil- lion in revenue. To put that impact in perspective, Vice jerseys account for more than half of the 440,000 Heat jerseys sold over that same span. Now, the big question for Dolphins fans is: Are you okay with the Dolphins rolling out a black “Miami Nights” jersey? Are you good with Tua lining up under center in the same hue of pink Leo Messi and Inter Miami roll out onto the pitch most nights? Will a piece of you die inside if the Dolphins use art deco neon-sign-inspired numbers on their jerseys? We kid, we kid. But the NFL has done worse. Dolphins fans will remember the Fanta-inspired Orange Crush jersey the team introduced in 2003, and the creamsicle-hued uni introduced in 2016. This happened. It’s all on video. As mentioned, the Heat ain’t the only team in town with a history of successful Nike-alternate garments. The Marlins dropped some heat in 2021 with their “City Connect” jerseys, a new signature design that the team said speaks to the legacy, culture, passion, and pride for baseball in South Florida. The distinctive look is a homage to the Cuban Sugar Kings, a Cuban minor-league ballclub from 1946 to 1960. The question now is: What city-inspired jer- sey would Dolphins fans like to see the team wearing as they emerge from the Hard Rock tun- nel? And, more important from the NFL’s reve- nue-driven POV: What jersey would you be most interested in purchasing each of the next four holiday seasons? Ready or not, Nike Rivalry jerseys are coming. Brace for impact, both on the field and in your wallet. [email protected] WILL A PIECE OF YOU DIE INSIDE IF THE DOLPHINS USE ART DECO NEON-SIGN- INSPIRED NUMBERS ON THEIR JERSEYS? “HE CAME TO THE U.S. TO PURSUE A DREAM OF EDUCATION, GROWTH, AND GIVING BACK.” GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Could be the moment the Dolphins finally make those clean 1970s throwbacks a mainstay? Image via Instagram/@MiamiDolphins Tua lining up under center in the same hue of pink Leo Messi and Inter Miami roll out onto the pitch most nights? Will a piece of you die inside if the Dolphins use art deco neon-sign-inspired numbers on their jerseys? We kid, we kid. But the NFL has done worse. Dolphins fans will remember the Fanta-inspired Orange Crush jersey the team introduced in 2003, and the creamsicle-hued uni introduced in 2016. This happened. It’s all on video. team in town with a history of successful Nike-alternate garments. The Marlins dropped some heat in 2021 with their “City Connect” jerseys, a new signature design that the team said speaks to the legacy, culture, passion, and pride for baseball in South Florida. The distinctive look is a homage
