In its last session, the Senate passed a bill calling on the Board of Trustees to terminate the 287(g) agreement between ICE and FIUPD, citing concerns about student safety.
Jorge Cardona | Staff Writer
The resolution was passed by the Senate this past Monday in an overwhelming 19-2 vote. The bill condemns the instances of ICE-related violence in several cities around the country and calls for FIU to “publicly reaffirm its commitment to protecting students’ privacy, safety, and access to education, including concise policies limiting information sharing with federal immigration authorities.”
The bill’s sponsor, SIPA Senator Manuel Fernandez, explained his motivation behind sponsoring this resolution in an interview for PantherNOW: “My motives behind introducing this resolution are simple: I believe the Student Government Association should stand by our students and show support for their safety on campus.”
Senator Fernandez added, “I think FIUPD should be focused on campus safety, for which they were hired, as opposed to doing the job of immigration enforcement. Students should feel comfortable with FIUPD and should be able to trust the institution.”
However, the bill was victim to detractors. Graduate Senator Mateo Suarez, one of the Senators who voted ‘No’ on the bill, explained the reason behind his vote: “My decision was not a dismissal of the seriousness of immigration-related concerns, but rather a reflection of what I believe is the appropriate role and responsibility of Student Government at our institution. While this resolution expresses an important perspective, it is ultimately non-binding and does not create tangible policy changes or direct action that would materially impact students.”
WIth the federal government and the Trump Administration taking a harsher stance against undocumented immigrants since last year, many student organizations on campus, such as ICEBreakers, have decided to voice their opposition to the increased presence of ICE officers in cities like Minneapolis, New York, or Los Angeles; these organizations have been at the helm of several student protests and walkouts on campus calling for the end of the 287(g) agreement between FIU and ICE, citing cooperation with ICE as harmful to student safety and contrary to FIU’s “international” orientation as an institution.
Florida has not been exempt from the increased ICE presence. The state government-led Operation Tidal Wave has resulted in the detention of over 10,000 undocumented immigrants throughout the state since January 2025, according to the office of Governor DeSantis.
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