On Jan. 30, students, faculty, alumni and community members gathered at Florida International University’s Graham Center to protest the FIU Police Department’s ties to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Demonstrators called for the termination of the 287(g) agreement, which allows campus police to be deputized as ICE agents on campus.
The protest, which remained peaceful throughout, was part of many demonstrations nationwide that voiced growing concerns over immigration enforcement and community safety. At FIU, organizers said the agreement conflicts with the university’s identity as an international institution and a place of refuge for immigrant and international students.
The demonstrators interviewed asked to not include their last names out of concern for their safety.
Sarah, a student organizer with the group ICEbreakers, says recent violence and rising national tensions motivated students to take action.
“This protest comes after the murder of Alex Pretti and Renee Good,” Sarah said. “I think people are seeing that if it can happen to a U.S. citizen, what’s going to happen to them?”
Throughout the demonstration, attendees take turns sharing personal experiences. Lee, a protester from a Mexican-American family, says the issue directly affects her community.
“It’s not only atrocious to watch as my own family has to worry about their safety, but also others,” Lee said. “It’s so hard to ignore when you live in the middle of it.”
Organizers say their demand is clear.
“The demand is to terminate the 287(g) agreement,” said Sarah. “It is an agreement that allows campus police to be deputized as ICE agents on campus.”
“We used to have flags up in the Graham Center. Those flags have been taken down,” Sarah continued. “International students and immigrant students make up this campus.”
