More than two dozen students gathered Wednesday afternoon on the Boca Raton campus to march in protest of Florida Atlantic University’s police department “pending” partnership with the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

The agreement would allow university police to question and detain students who they believe are undocumented. At least 10 other universities in Florida have signed agreements with ICE, including the University of Florida, Florida International University and the University of South Florida. Four out of the five students the University Press spoke with wished to remain anonymous for safety purposes. 

In an April 15 email to the University Press, FAU Spokesperson, Joshua Glanzer stated the university’s “agreement is still pending, and we do not know when or if the agreement will be approved by ICE.” He referred to the ICE’s 287(g) Program, which, according to the federal law enforcement agency’s website, would allow them to partner with law enforcement agencies to “identify and remove criminal aliens who are amenable to removal from the U.S.” 

Solidarity, a student-run socialist group at FAU, organized the march according to a freshman representative who declined his name after the news came out of a possible FAU partnership with ICE on April 3.

“We’re all obviously very upset about this, especially since it had been done undercover. We didn’t know about it until after it happened,” said the freshman representative of Solidarity, who declined to give his name.

Andrew Zerrato, a junior majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology, felt comfortable sharing his name because, as a U.S. citizen, he said, “I don’t have anything to lose.” 

He’s a 31-year-old from New Jersey whose family came to the U.S. from Colombia around 40 years ago, making him well familiar with the immigration processes. 

When Zerrato heard that the march was happening, he instantly went out to buy poster boards and markers. He made a pamphlet to let people know to have their paperwork and to not talk to others about their immigration status. 

“I’d rather use my voice to help those people out and if they can’t because they’re too scared to speak out, I’ll do it for them,” said Zerrato. 

While Zerrato does agree that there’s a particular process to allow immigrants into the country, the “scary part” is that people are now getting sent back to their countries. 

“That’s what I’m standing for, is as an American, to see our government just pick people out because they assume or something or because they don’t agree with what’s going on. It’s crazy to me,” said Zerrato. 

The freshman and another member of the march, a senior majoring in criminal justice, expressed their fear of FAU police now being trained by ICE.

The senior shared her belief that international students, immigrants and citizens now have to be extra careful because police will arrest them for anything, and there is a risk of being “deported without due process.”

As the group made their way around FAU’s campus with their hand-crafted signs, drums and chants, they captured the attention of students and faculty. 

Two women, a graduate student and a senior, heard the drums from inside the Physical Science building and came out to watch as the group stopped in front of the Kenneth R. Williams Administration building to make their voices heard. 

The senior said she’s never been in a protest on campus, but after seeing their message, she would have joined the march if she knew about it prior. 

“I don’t agree with it just because of ICE being a National Government Agency, and it’s getting involved now in campus police. It’s like different agencies that don’t really have anything to do with each other,” said the graduate student. She also declined to give a name. 

She is at FAU on a student visa, and while she doesn’t disagree with the policies of ICE, she disagrees with the agreement because it is causing fear and “creating terror with the students when it’s not needed.” 

“If you’re coming to study at a university, it’s like you’re looking to become something,” said the graduate student.

The university is following Governor Ron DeSantis’ law enforcement on Feb. 19, which pushes for organizations in Florida to work with immigration enforcement. 

“All state law enforcement agencies are expected to follow the governor’s Feb. 19 directive on working U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This includes FAUPD and other state university police departments,” wrote Glanzer in a statement on April 3. 

The senior majoring in criminal justice fears that the more universities do it, the more a “precedent is set,” and other private organizations will follow, such as high schools, middle schools and job sites. 

Megan Bruinsma is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories email her at mbruinsma2022@fau.edu or DM her on Instagram @megan_bruinsma or Twitter (X) @MeganBruinsma.