Pacheco v. Miami Beach
Summary
What this Case is About
ADC has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Miami Beach, Mayor Steven Meiner, and other city officials on behalf of Raquel Pacheco, a U.S. veteran and Miami Beach resident, alleging First Amendment retaliation. In January 2026, Miami Beach police came to Ms. Pacheco’s home after she posted online criticism of the Mayor’s statements about Palestinians and his efforts to suppress screenings of No Other Land, the Academy Award–winning documentary. Officers told her the post was “concerning” and instructed her to stop posting similar content; she recorded the encounter, and the video spread widely online. ADC argues the visit functioned as a warning that chilled her speech, and that she has since curtailed her online posting out of fear of further consequences.
ADC is asking the court to declare that city officials violated Ms. Pacheco’s First Amendment rights, to bar similar retaliation and to award damages. In September 2026, the court allowed ADC’s claims against Mayor Meiner, Police Chief Wayne Jones and the City to proceed. The case asks whether officials can send police to a resident’s door to warn her off political speech they dislike, a question that matters to anyone who criticizes those in power.
Case Files
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