UF Students Protest Police Contract with ICE, Citing Safety Concerns
GAINESVILLE, FL – Students at the University of Florida walked out of classes Wednesday to protest a recently finalized contract between UF Police Department (UFPD) and U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE). Demonstrators voiced fears the agreement will create a climate of fear and jeopardize the educational pursuits of immigrant students.
The contract, finalized last week, allows UFPD to collaborate with ICE in immigration enforcement activities on campus. Protesters argue this collaboration will lead to racial profiling and deter immigrant students from fully participating in campus life. The agreement has sparked outrage among students and immigrant advocacy groups, who believe it fundamentally undermines the university’s commitment to inclusivity and safety.
Veronica Rodriguez, a member of the Gainesville Immigrant Neighbor Inclusion Initiative, helped organize the protest in collaboration with Students for Socialism. She emphasized the importance of accessible education for all, stating, ”When you create an obstacle, and for students not to be able to feel safe to come to your school campus, a fear of being profiled… It just creates one extra obstacle for them to be able to pursue higher education.”
Kayla Arora, a 15-year-old UF education freshman, expressed strong disapproval of the university’s decision. “It’s disgusting, what UF is doing,” Arora said. “They’re quite literally using immigrant students’ money to fund deportation of these same immigrant students.”
Arora and other protesters believe increased visibility is crucial to influencing university administration and police. “any publicity is beneficial to the cause,” she explained, adding that the demonstration aims to demonstrate student concern and highlight perceived pressure from the state government. “Let’s face it,they obviously got pressured from the state.”
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Angelique Rodriguez, a first-year journalism major and Fall 2025 graduate school reporter for The Independent Florida Alligator, reported this story. She can be reached at arodriguez@alligator.org or on X @angeliquesrod.
