Nearly a dozen members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society gathered just off campus to protest a recent decision that came from the Florida Board of Governors.
This decision would ban undocumented students from enrolling into higher education at state universities.
This is the 287g agreement, and is a partnership between the University of South Florida and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Connor Jaap is a member of this organization, and a student at USF.
“We demand that USF ends their 287g agreement. We demand that they protect immigrant and undocumented students, and we also demand that they no longer allow Customs and Border Patrol to recruit on campus at career fairs.”
This agreement delegates federal immigration enforcement powers to campus police officers. These powers include questioning people about their immigration status, transferring them into ICE custody, and checking the Department of Homeland Security databases.
Jaap shares some of the success that has come from demonstrations and protests in the past. One included the cancellation of Customs and Border Protection being on campus.
“It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of people too.”
According to the Higher ED Immigration portal, roughly 49,000 undocumented students are enrolled in higher education universities and institutions in Florida. Another 8,000 graduate from Florida high schools.