Did you know that Florida is the only state in the nation where multiple public university police departments are partnering with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to assist in immigration enforcement?
It’s happening through 287(g) agreements, which are partnerships with federal immigration authorities, deputizing campus cops to question, detain and assist in the deportation of students. This is not happening in a few isolated institutions either; so far, Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida and Florida State University have signed agreements, among others.
Thomas Kennedy is a writer and immigration advocate from Argentina, and now residing in Miami.
This is completely by choice. Per state law, only municipalities and police departments operating county jails have to sign 287(g) agreements. Unfortunately, university leaders across the state have chosen the craven path of least resistance when it comes to protecting their students from the witch hunt being perpetrated against immigrants by the federal government. Of course, cowardice isn’t the only answer — some of those leaders believe strongly in the federal government’s discriminatory and overzealous enforcement practices that put students at risk and create a climate of fear and anxiety in their own universities.
Florida International University is making headlines again due to comments by its police chief, Alexander D. Casas, in which he matter-of-factly tells the Faculty Senate that, “If ICE were to request us to participate in a sweep of campus, we would. We would provide any assistance we can provide.” In another part of the meeting, Casas told faculty who had concerns about a state law barring them from filming law enforcement within close proximity that they are better off not filming at all, no matter their concern about a possible ICE operation taking place on campus.
These comments are said against a backdrop of escalating violence and authoritarianism in this country that’s directly tied to out-of-control behavior by federal agents conducting immigration raids. The Associated Press reported that ICE agents are being told through a memo that they have the right to enter homes without a warrant signed by a judge, a clear-cut violation of Fourth Amendment protections against indiscriminate searches. Images of a 5-year-old boy being used as bait to detain his parents on a snowy Minnesota day have caused international outrage. And of course, the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis still weigh heavily on the minds of any American with a conscience.
When the possibility of immigration enforcement-related violence coming to FIU was brought up during the Faculty Senate meeting, Casas claimed that nothing had happened yet, which instigated several outbursts of “not yet” by faculty present. The truth is that the chief has not adequately addressed questions related to the implementation of the agreement. His report to the Faculty Senate on implementation was about 30 seconds long. That’s simply unacceptable in terms of addressing the anxiety that the signing of these cooperation agreements has caused, not just on campus, but on the broader community, especially in light of what’s happening across the country.
Florida International University is not just signing meaningless pieces of paper related to cooperation with immigration authorities. News broke in August that a portable shelter owned by the schools was gifted to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, to be used at the Alligator Alcatraz detention camp. The chair of the Board of Trustees, Carlos Duart, owns CDRP Companies, which received a lucrative contract to help build and open the same detention facility. The school claims that gifting materials to an entity from which its very own Board of Trustees chair is profiting is not a conflict of interest. The absurdity of that claim speaks for itself.
Universities should be a place for learning, where students feel safe and welcomed. Having campus police partner with ICE to assist in militarized immigration operations and sweeps of campus is preposterous. These agreements need to be rescinded, and universities need to return to their true focus: education.
Thomas Kennedy is a writer and immigration advocate from Argentina, and now residing in Miami. He has worked with organizations like the Florida Immigrant Coalition and The Immigration Hub, and as an aide in the Florida legislature. He is on X and BlueSky: @Tomaskenn.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/02/09/florida-universities-should-end-ice-cooperation-opinion/
