Florida’s public universities have begun implementing a new policy that allows their police departments to question students about their immigration status, in direct collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This action takes place under the federal 287(g) program, and positions Florida as the only state in the country to apply this measure within its higher education institutions, according to information published by Agencia Efe.
What is the 287(g) program?
The 287(g) program, created by Congress in 1996, allows ICE to delegate specific immigration functions to state and local law enforcement.
The decision has generated great concern among the student community, especially at institutions with a high Hispanic population such as Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, where more than 60% of the student body has Latin American roots.
In the university context, it means that campus police officers can conduct interrogations and detain individuals suspected of irregular immigration status.
As confirmed by FIU President Jeanette Nuñez (who until February of this year was Florida’s Lieutenant Governor), the university’s security personnel are being trained to perform immigration functions under federal supervision.
“We have to make sure we have enough capacity and enough seats for our legal residents of the state of Florida,” Nunez said.
Who could be affected by this policy?
The measure could have a direct impact on students covered by the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program.
FIU, for example, has approximately 600 DACA-protected students, who now face a climate of increased uncertainty.
Consequences have also been reported for international students.
Between March 25 and April 10, at least 18 FIU students and recent graduates lost their F-1 visas, forcing them to interrupt their studies. The university has confirmed that it is offering legal advice to those affected.
More universities join
Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly backed the decision, stating that the US has the right to revoke visas if students engage in activities deemed harmful to the country.
If you lie to us, get a visa and enter the US, and with it you participate in those types of activities, we will take it away from you
Marco Rubio
In addition to FIU, other institutions in the Florida public university system are in the process of joining the 287(g) program:
Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Boca Raton has already initiated the collaboration process.
The University of South Florida (USF), in Tampa, and the University of Central Florida (UCF), in Orlando, have confirmed their intention to integrate, although they are still in the formal agreement phase.
For the time being, the University of Miami (UM), being a private institution, does not participate nor has it shown any intention of adhering to this policy.
Criticism and concern in the community
Buzzy
Various civil rights groups and student organizations have warned that the presence of immigration functions on campus can create an environment of fear, discrimination and withdrawal.
They fear this will deter students-especially those who are undocumented or have vulnerable immigration status-from seeking academic, psychological or medical help, or from participating in university life.
This new immigration approach to education in Florida represents an unprecedented change in the United States.
For many Hispanic students, it will now be critical to know their rights and be aware of the new measures that will be implemented on their campuses.
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