FIU students protest against campus police-ICE agreement permitting immigration stops

Florida International University students held a protest in response to a new agreement between campus police and U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE that grants officers the authority to make immigration stops on campus Organizers of the protest commented the agreement is a misuse of police information and they believe it will instill fear on the campus Students lined the university s lawn chanting Say it loud Say it clear Immigrants are welcomed here Last week the university and other schools substantiated the partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that will allow campus police to stop question and even detain students who they believe are living in the U S illegally In a comment to News FIU wrote the following FIU Police Department has signed a cooperation agreement with U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement in compliance with Governor Ron DeSantis directive to law enforcement agencies It s definitely shocking because the school s name is Florida International University explained participant Natasha Salleh FIU is one of the majority of diverse universities in the country I feel like we should embody that and embrace that diversity that we do have reported a novice As of Wednesday the City of Doral is now among cities across the state with resolutions approving partnership between the city s police department and ICE News spoke with the police chief who detailed what the agreement entails The primary focus of our officers during encounters with citizens does not involve questioning regarding their immigration status revealed Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez We are here to serve and protect each and every person in this neighborhood regardless of their immigration status The resolution is raising concerns in Doral which has the largest Venezuelan population in the United States particular of whom stand at threat of losing their temporary protected status Specific in the Trump administration including Secretary of State Marco Rubio encouragement removing the temporary status Rafael Pineyro a Venezuelan-American councilman commented he hopes the Trump administration reconsiders their decision on TPS I hope that not only this administration as I have been moving forward with different resolutions considers giving an alternative an opportunity to law-abiding Venezuelans that are here in the country doing the right things which is the majority of them he revealed In the last month students at FIU have had their participant visas revoked and they re concerns that number will continue to increase