TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society marched from Integration Statue to the FSUPD headquarters Friday, fighting for protections for students and transparency from the university's administration.
- The rally follows recent ICE raids in Tallahassee, sparking fear among students and community members about immigration enforcement.
- In a statement to ABC 27 a university spokesperson said they're unaware of any ICE presence on campus and did not confirm if FSUPD was considering an agreement with the agency.
- Watch the video to hear the message behind the rally.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Florida State University students are putting boots to the ground to make a stand against ICE presence on campus.
They marched from the Integration Statue to campus police headquarters organized by the Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society.
"We're organizing here today because we're all really just concerned about what's happening regarding immigrants in this country," Mariana Guimaraes, a member of the organization, said.
This isn’t the first rally against ICE in Tallahassee.
The Tallahassee Immigrant Rights Alliance held a protest at the State Capitol last month in response to a raid in College Town.
More than 100 construction workers at a construction site were detained during what ICE called a “joint agency operation.”
Guimaraes says this raid and others ramping up across the state is creating fear in the community.
"Back in April, student visas were being revoked across the country, three included here at FSU, and in addition, with all the ICE raids that are going on here in Tallahassee and across the country... a lot of people are just very fearful for themselves, for their families," she said.
Now, they want FSUPD to “end its process in entering” into a 287(g) agreement with ICE.
That agreement lets local law enforcement perform some ICE duties like identifying and processing undocumented immigrants.
Other departments like Tallahassee Police Department, Leon County Sheriff’s Office and colleges like Florida A&M University and Tallahassee State College have also signed these agreements.
"We don't want that. We want our students to feel protected here from all nationalities, from all different backgrounds, especially because they are so vulnerable," Guimaraes said.
They’re also calling for FSU to release a plan to protect students who are immigrants and schedule a town hall to address student concerns.
The group, in a press release for the rally, says that FSU has quote “repeatedly ignored” concerns, saying that President Richard McCullough has refused to answer student questions about university policies on immigration.
A university spokesperson sent me a statement saying in part the "university is unaware of ICE activity on any of FSU’s campuses" and that it "remains committed to supporting all students" but must "follow all state and federal laws."
Read full statement below:
The university is unaware of ICE activity on any of FSU’s campuses; however, university administrators and staff are regularly providing guidance to our F-1 and J-1 international students on campus to ensure they remain in compliance with all immigration laws.
While Florida State University remains committed to supporting all students, which includes international students, the university must uphold and follow all state and federal laws.
Most recently, the university has advised international students to carry their "evidence of registration" documents at all times and advised against travel after President Donald Trump announced travel bans.
ABC 27's Brieanna Smith reached out to FSUPD’s police chief for their response to this rally and their demands but has not heard back.
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