Key Takeaways
• Florida universities’ police now formally collaborate with ICE under 287(g) due to a February 2025 executive order.
• At least 10 public universities signed 287(g) agreements, allowing campus police to enforce federal immigration rules.
• Faculty and student groups fear increased profiling, reduced trust, and potential for deportation over minor infractions.
Florida’s public universities have begun working closely with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under the 287(g) program, a move that changes the traditional role of campus police. This is the first time that so many university police departments in Florida have formally joined ICE through written agreements, giving officers the authority to help enforce federal immigration rules on campus. The shift began after Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on February 19, 2025, instructing all state-funded law enforcement agencies—including those at public universities—to cooperate with ICE using the 287(g) program.
These new partnerships mean that campus police are no longer just responsible for student safety and everyday law enforcement. Now, they can question students and staff about their immigration status, issue official holds (“detainers”) that keep people in local custody for ICE, and even transfer them directly to federal immigration authorities. While state and federal officials say the program helps keep communities secure, this change has upset many across Florida’s university communities and sparked strong reactions.
How and Why Florida Universities Joined the 287(g) Program
At least 10 public universities in Florida have now signed agreements with ICE. These are Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, and University of West Florida. According to reports, two more—Florida State University and Florida Polytechnic University—are moving forward with similar agreements.
The specific legal basis for these changes comes from ICE’s 287(g) program. This federal policy allows ICE to train and authorize local law enforcement, including campus police, to carry out certain immigration functions. Officers can then arrest and detain people suspected of being in the country without legal status. As ICE states on its official site, this “enhance[s] collaboration with state and local law enforcement partners” and allows ICE to more easily “arrest and remove” those who “undermine the safety” of communities.
Governor DeSantis’s February order made this mandatory for all state agencies, marking a unique move in Florida and bringing university police into federal immigration efforts. This means campus police officers must receive 287(g) training from ICE and work under ICE guidelines for handling suspected immigration violations.
For more information on how the 287(g) program functions nationwide, you can visit the official ICE 287(g) program page.
Campus Reactions: Concerns About Trust, Safety, and Community
Faculty Members Speak Out
Faculty at several universities have made it clear they do not support this close partnership between campus police and ICE. For example, the University of South Florida faculty senate voted 57-3 to pass a resolution saying the 287(g) program is “unnecessary and harmful to students, faculty, staff, and the broader communities our universities serve.” Faculty members argue that involving campus police in immigration matters could create confusion and fear, making it harder for students to feel welcome or safe.
One faculty member described the change bluntly: “It erodes the kind of trust and safety that is necessary for students to be able to engage in learning and the free expression which is at the core of what we do in higher education.” (Source: WUSF)
Student Fears and Real-Life Impact
For many students at Florida universities, these changes have led to anxiety, especially among international and undocumented people. The arrest and deportation of Felipe Zapata Velasquez, a University of Florida student picked up by ICE for traffic tickets and sent back to Colombia, is often mentioned as an example. His experience is seen by some as a warning that even minor legal problems can trigger immigration checks and, ultimately, deportation when campus police work with ICE.
Many student groups and advocates worry that giving campus police access to 287(g) powers makes universities feel less like safe spaces for learning. Some ask whether campus police will inform university officials when they are about to work with ICE. Others question if agents will enter classrooms searching for specific students or whether police might investigate immigration status without clear reason.
According to VisaVerge.com, these worries have grown in recent months, with many university leaders facing pressure from both state officials and their own students and faculty regarding how to balance public safety, student rights, and the new federal-state partnership.
How the 287(g) Program Works on Campus
Under the 287(g) program, campus police officers get training from ICE that allows them to:
– Question people about their immigration status
– Place immigration “detainers” to keep someone in local custody until ICE picks them up
– Transfer people directly into ICE custody if there’s a match or suspected violation
Normally, campus police are responsible for crimes and student safety, such as responding to thefts, fights, or campus emergencies. With the 287(g) program in place, they can also collect and share information about students and staff with federal immigration authorities. This is a clear change from the older approach, where universities often had “sanctuary” policies or simply did not involve themselves in immigration issues.
Many faculty members have asked university lawyers specific questions:
– If ICE agents want to come onto campus or enter classrooms, will university officials be notified?
– Can campus police start their own investigations into someone’s immigration status?
– Does the university have to tell students and staff if they are being investigated for immigration violations?
Answers to these questions are not clear yet. Even university lawyers and leaders are still working out the exact steps and trying to respond to all the concerns.
The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters
The growing use of 287(g) across Florida universities stands out not only because of the number of schools involved but also because it changes the way people experience campus life. College has always been a place where students learn, share opinions, and feel included—regardless of their backgrounds. The fear is that when campus police act as ICE agents, students might avoid classes, activities, or even reporting crimes, because they worry about their immigration status being checked.
Faculty and Staff Concerns
The faculty at several Florida universities continue to push back, hoping their actions will lead university leaders to rethink their involvement. They see these changes as damaging to the reputation of their schools and making it harder to recruit international students, who are an important part of campus life.
From their perspective, campus safety should not mean checking everyone’s paperwork. It should mean protecting students and staff so the entire community feels welcome and free to learn.
Concerns About Discrimination
Critics believe the 287(g) policy could lead to unfair profiling. This means that people who look or sound “foreign” might be more likely to be stopped, questioned, or detained by campus police. Student groups say this is especially stressful for students from Latin America, Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world who come to Florida for college.
Advocacy organizations worry that as word spreads that university police work with ICE, undocumented students or those from mixed-status families might skip classes or avoid seeking help when needed. Some may even quit college out of fear. There is also concern that trust between students and campus police—usually important for reporting crimes or emergencies—will get weaker.
Official and Legal Responses
In response to all these worries, some university legal teams have said that the 287(g) agreement is mostly about helping ICE with serious crimes, like those involving violence or drugs. However, the case of Felipe Zapata Velasquez shows that even minor issues like traffic tickets can lead to ICE involvement.
University leaders are caught between following the state’s orders and listening to the voices on campus. They are under pressure to answer tough questions, explain why the university is part of 287(g), and come up with clear guidelines on what the campus police’s role will be.
Florida’s Role as a Trendsetter
Florida is not the only state with 287(g) agreements, but it is one of the first to include large university systems. This has made the state a focus for national debates on immigration and public safety. How Florida universities apply these rules may shape the way other states approach similar programs. As Florida’s population continues to grow and become more diverse, the balance between enforcing laws and protecting community trust will stay a hot topic.
Student groups, faculty, and advocacy organizations say the issue is about more than just law enforcement—it’s about what kind of community universities want to create and who gets to feel safe and included.
The Future: What’s Next for Students, Staff, and University Leaders?
As Florida’s 287(g) agreements with ICE go forward, the main questions involve how the rules will be applied, who will be most affected, and what protections (if any) will be put in place for students and staff. University leaders, faculty, and advocacy groups will likely keep pushing for clear guidelines and more open discussion about the impact.
For those who feel at risk, knowing their rights is important. As more information becomes available, universities will need to update their students and staff about what the agreements mean for them, what to expect if approached by ICE or campus police, and how to seek help.
For students, faculty, and staff at Florida universities, this is not just a legal issue. It cuts to the heart of what a university is supposed to be—a place to learn, grow, and feel part of a community. With the 287(g) program now a part of campus life, how schools respond to concerns and protect the most vulnerable members will be closely watched in Florida and beyond.
In summary, the decision by Florida officials to bring university police into ICE’s 287(g) program has changed the shape of campus law enforcement in the state. With strong reactions from faculty, student concerns about trust and safety, and questions that are still being worked through, it is clear that the conversation about these partnerships is far from over. For now, all parties—students, faculty, staff, and leaders—will need to remain engaged, share their concerns, and seek answers as these new rules roll out across Florida’s campuses.
Learn Today
287(g) Program → Federal agreement allowing local police, including campus police, to collaborate with ICE in enforcing immigration laws on a local level.
Detainer → An official request for local authorities to keep an individual in custody beyond normal release, pending ICE pickup.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) → A federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws, particularly through detention and deportation operations.
Executive Order → A directive issued by a governor or president requiring specific actions by parts of the government, often used for urgent policy shifts.
Sanctuary Policy → A policy where local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement to protect undocumented residents’ rights and foster community trust.
This Article in a Nutshell
Florida’s public universities are now working with ICE through the 287(g) program, allowing campus police to enforce immigration laws. This shift, mandated by a 2025 executive order, has stirred controversy, with many faculty and students concerned about trust, civil rights, and the future of inclusive campus communities.
— By VisaVerge.com
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