David Brown | Staff Writer
On March 13, 2026, seven student protesters gathered inside FIU’s Student Academic Support Center auditorium to silently protest campus police’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the federal 287(g) program, later causing all seven students to be charged with severe university conduct charges weeks after.
As part of a joint coalition effort between on-campus advocacy organizations Young Democratic Socialists of America at FIU and ICEbreakers FIU, a “Day of Action” took place throughout the day, aimed at educating students about FIU’s cooperation with ICE.
Throughout the day, organizers handed out flyers, educated students across campus, and highlighted newly implemented policies, including the FIU police department’s new right to interrogate and arrest anyone suspected of being undocumented.
During a fireside chat between University President Jeanette Nuñez and retired baseball player Alex Rodriguez, protesters entered the auditorium. Roughly 40 minutes into the event, the students stood up in silence, unzipping their hoodies to reveal matching white shirts with bold red lettering reading “ICE OFF FIU.”
Moments after the students left the auditorium, they were met by campus police officers requesting identification without providing a reason why. Although no student identification was taken, a month later, all seven students received emails from the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.
Among the seven students charged was Kaitlyn Daley, a rising junior, who said she felt blindsided by the university’s updated policies and described her decision to participate as a response to protest all of the university’s changes that conflicted with what she thought the institution would stand for.
“I felt honestly betrayed because suddenly now I’m at this university with a new administration which nobody agreed to have, allowing ICE to be on campus and allowing our campus police to act as ICE,” said Daley. “I don’t agree with it, and I think it’s terrifying. We are an international university.”
Daley also criticized the university’s decision to pursue conduct charges against the students, arguing that the response felt like an attempt to discourage future students seeking to speak out.
“I believe the university is taking it too far, and it feels like a fear tactic to get us to stop disagreeing, or else we will get charges thrown in our face,” said Daley.
The charges Daley and her fellow students face fall under FIU 110(3) and FIU 2501 (5-xi.i), which prohibit expressive activities inside university buildings and require students to comply with all the requests and orders from FIU officials and non-FIU law enforcement.
Following the issuing of the conduct notice, both organizations involved were left seeking legal support and ultimately secured a pro bono lawyer to help them navigate the charges.
Carlton Daley, co-chair of YDSA, described the situation as an overwhelming experience for the students charged, feeling like an example was being made. “It was a situation where a bunch of 18- to 22-year-olds had to face a university administration,” he said.
As of now, the students remain waiting for further information regarding the conduct process and further proceedings with the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity.
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