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Trump Presidential Library stalled after Miami judge rules in favor of activist

October 16, 2025 | | Print Article

A Florida judge has temporarily blocked Miami Dade College from giving away land to the state to be used for President Donald Trump’s upcoming presidential library.

The ruling by Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz was inspired by a Miami-area activist who sued, alleging that Miami Dade College had violated the law by gifting the land to the state without public input and not disclosing that it would be used for Trump’s library.

“I want Miami Dade College trustees to rescind that offer,” Florida International University professor Marvin Dunn told local station WPLG earlier this month after he filed the suit.

“They took land from our kids without the decency of asking us, the public, what we thought about that,” he added.

His complaint also notes that, within just hours of Miami Dade College’s board of trustees voting to transfer the land to the state late last month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration revealed that the land would be used for Trump’s upcoming library.

“Presumably, they did not meet beforehand,” Dunn said. “That would be a violation of the law. They had a meeting… they did not discuss the item. Not on an agenda. They passed it without discussion. How does that happen? I don’t think it happens without people talking behind the scenes.”

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His contention was that everybody directly involved, including the board, knew beforehand that the land would end up going to the Trump library, but kept it hidden from the public.

Either that or the board members were duped:

“No president should be given that land, including Obama,” Dunn added. “It should not be given to anyone.”

According to the New York Times, Miami Dade College’s board of trustees met for fewer than five minutes last month before approving the land transfer. The public was told only that they intended to “discuss potential real estate transactions.”

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Circuit Judge Mavel Ruiz was not impressed by the notice given to the public.

“During hearings on Monday afternoon and Tuesday evening, the college’s attorneys argued that Florida’s Sunshine law only requires notification, not specifics about the purpose of a public meeting,” according to the Miami Herald.

“But the judge disagreed, ruling that there is a likelihood that Dunn will win the case, and declaring that the college can’t give up the land in the meantime,” the reporting continued.

“The court does not believe that the notice was reasonable,” the judge said, adding that the college has the option to issue a new public notice and hold another meeting and vote.

She further admitted that it wasn’t an easy decision to reach because of Florida’s confusing laws.

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“This court’s surprised with the minimal requirement for reasonable notice that the Sunshine law really provides,” she said. “So for that reason, this court struggled with whether or not this disclosure was sufficient.”

Dunn was pleased by the ruling.

“We believe that Judge Ruiz made a well-reasoned decision on this matter of great public importance,” his attorney, Richard Brodsky, told Axios. “We hope that Miami Dade College will give proper notice and allow public input.”

Trump supporters weren’t as thrilled because polling data from a poll commissioned by the Miami Herald has shown that even Republicans don’t favor the land transfer deal.

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“Even most Republicans — 59% — agreed that the college should have kept the land, according to the poll,” the Herald reported around the start of the month.

The board of trustees reportedly intends to appeal the ruling.

Vivek Saxena
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