Tampa, FL – On Thursday, May 28, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a press conference to announce an update to their ongoing lawsuit against the University of South Florida (USF) Board of Trustees, the USF Police Department, former President Rhea Law, former Dean of Students Danielle McDonald, and Assistant Dean Melissa Graham.

“Our legal team has appealed the lower court’s decision to dismiss our legal case because we are confident in our suit and in our legal claims that USF has violated our rights. Although we do not have a timeline on the outcome of this right now, we are confident that the court will consider our case and protect our rights as students,” said Tampa Bay SDS member and plaintiff Victoria Hinckley.

The lawsuit was filed on October 8 of 2025, because of continued repression against free speech on campus, including expelling Tampa Bay SDS as an organization, creating policies limiting protest, and expelling SDS member Victoria Hinckley along with charging others with conduct violations.

Ending the press conference, plaintiff Vicky Tong said, “The community should have the right to organize on a public campus. Tampa Bay SDS continues to fight for these rights, and we encourage folks to stand by us and to join our movement for free speech on campus!”

In the meantime, Tampa Bay SDS will continue to organize for free speech on campus.

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #SDS #FreeSpeech

Tampa, FL – On Thursday, May 21st, members of the Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee spoke at a Tampa City Hall public meeting to demand the city pass an ordinance rescinding Tampa’s 287(g) agreement with the federal government, which has the Tampa Police Department functioning as immigration enforcement officers.

Tampa City Council and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor have yet to publicly comment on 287(g) since Tampa signed on early spring 2025.

“This agreement (287g) is an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars and an inhuman affront to the people of Tampa,” said a member of the Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee.

He continued, “Immigration enforcement under Trump has led to a rapid increase in deaths at the hands of ICE within communities and in inhumane detention centers. Ever since the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and Keith Porter in LA, cities around the country have been demanding ICE out of our communities. People all around the country are demanding that their city governments take a stand against the racist repressive policies of Trump and his lackeys like DeSantis.”

The Tampa Immigrants Rights Committee is currently pursuing a campaign to end Tampa's 287(g) agreement that targets Tampa City Council, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, and Tampa Chief of Police Lee Bercaw.

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #TIRC #287g

Tampa, FL — Despite a thunderstorm and tornado warning, a small but passionate group of workers and community members rallied in Ybor City on May 2 to celebrate International Workers' Day. The rally was organized by the West Central Florida Future Labor Leaders, the youth branch of the West Central Florida Central Labor Council, with demands to defend workers’ and immigrants’ rights.

The speakers included workers from a wide range of unions, such as Graduate Assistants United, the American Federation of Government Employees, Service Employees International Union, Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and Polk Education Association. An immigrant rights group, the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee, also spoke in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Day Without Immigrants protests.

Just one day before the rally, on May Day itself, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the union-busting SB 1296 into law. The bill is a direct attack on public-sector unions in the state, creating additional barriers to recertification. SB 1296 comes just three years after SB 256, another bill that raised the bar for recertification and decertified more than 100 public-sector unions in the state.

Shortly after losing their union in 2023, the University of South Florida's custodial, groundskeeping and maintenance workers had their jobs privatized. This past year, the workers unionized again, this time with SEIU.

“Since we were privatized, they have taken everything away from us,” said Juan Pena, an electrician at USF and organizer with SEIU 32BJ. “We’re fighting for fair wages, fair contract and salary.”

Speaking in Spanish, Paola Gutierrez with SEIU 32BJ said, “Siempre he dicho que todos unidos somos una sola voz y por eso creo que los sindicatos están listos para defendernos,” or “I have always said all of us united are one single voice and that’s why I believe that unions are ready to defend us.”

The rally ended with a short march around Centennial Park, with attendees chanting “Get up, get down, Tampa is a union town!” The march came to a close just behind the “Immigrant Statue,” a bronze sculpture honoring the Cuban, Italian and Spanish families who immigrated to and built Ybor City.

#TampaFL #FL #MayDay #InternationalWorkersDay #ImmigrantRights #Labor

Tampa FL- On Friday, May 1, two high schools in the Tampa Bay area participated in the national call put out by the Legalization for All Network to hold May Day walkouts in remembrance of the Day Without Immigrants mega protests held in 2006.The participating high schools were Middleton and Wharton. Both events were supported by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society and the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee. The protests this year called for slogans such as “Ice out now!” and “Legalization for all!” in response to the Trump administration’s continued attacks on immigrant communities across the country.

At the Middleton walkout, two students participated and still drew attention from the high school administration. As said by ZJ Jeudy, a member of the Middleton’s Students for a Democratic Society, “I organized and participated in the walkout because to me, it’s important to not only speak up for what’s right, but to also demonstrate it even if you are the only one doing it.”

Later in the day at Wharton, high school students participated in a rally after school at the corner of the school premises.

“If you go back to the early 2000s or go back to the 70s, students coming out and protesting is a major part of the Vietnam War timeline, that kind of thing. That’s how you organize,” said Nicole Cochrin, a member of Wharton’s Students for a Democratic Society. “Even if the protest itself doesn’t really do much, it’s going to spark more protests. People are going to make more of a change instead of sitting idly hoping someone else does something for them.”

These actions were two of the many held across the country on May Day for the National Day of Action called by the Legalization for All Network and National Students for a Democratic Society.

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #L4A #SDS #ImmigrantRights #Highschool #MayDay

Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, April 6, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally near the University of South Florida (USF) to demand “No ICE on campus” in response to USF and Department of Homeland Security signing onto a 287(g) agreement and the recent pause on H-1B visas passed by the Florida Board of Governors.

The 287(g) agreement allows USF police to train and act as ICE agents on USF campuses, putting international and immigrant students and faculty in direct harm’s way of racial profiling and being detained.

“A university is supposed to be a place of growth and safety, not a place where students feel watched and targeted by their own administrators, and most definitely not a place where their education could be interrupted by their own detention,” said Jayce Solis of Tampa Bay SDS in a speech demanding USF become a sanctuary campus immediately.

As protesters held signs with slogans like, “End 287(g)” and “No ICE on campus,” cars passed by honking in support.

The protest also demanded the reinstatement of H-1B visas, which universities commonly use to hire skilled foreign professionals in specialized fields that require advanced knowledge and education. Universities frequently use H-1B visas to recruit professors, scientists, engineers and researchers from around the world.

During the rally, attendees chanted “We want justice, you say, how? Sanctuary campus now!” and “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportations!”

Tampa Bay SDS will continue to organize against this 287(g) agreement and the pause on H-1B visas.

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #SDS

Tampa, FL – On March 28, over 2000 people gathered for the Tampa No Kings protest. The protest was organized by the Tampa Coalition Against the Trump Agenda. It was one of more than 3000 rallies comprising more than eight million people who came out throughout the United States in opposition to Trump's racist reactionary agenda.

Protesters raised concerns about immigration and U.S. intervention, holding anti-war signs and pro-immigrant signs such as “ICE out now!” Protesters chanted “Racist, sexist, anti-gay, Ron DeSantis go away,” “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportation” and “When immigrants are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” Many passing cars honked in support of the event.

Dave Gonzalez said, “I’m here to show my disagreement with the present government. This pedophile bombed girls at a school in Iran. At home there are also violations of human rights. We have a right to self-determination. What we do with our bodies cannot be ordered by anyone.”

Protester and activist Bianca Melendez stressed, “Because the world is on fire, I want to be able to educate and help influence as many people as possible. I am a member of TIRC-Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee and of a group chat on Palestine. There is a horrible genocide going on there and now in Lebanon and the Zionists are still in Syria.”

The event featured speakers from Tampa Immigrant Rights Committee, Tampa Democratic Socialist of America, Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Tampa Food Not Bombs, Voices of Florida, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Florida House of Representatives member Michele Rayner, and Tampa Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

To the question “What brings you to the protest today?” Ben Taylor said, “My husband and I believe in democracy and the freedom to live by the Bill of Rights which gives us rights to protest, freedom of speech.”

Nico Baisley from the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee said, “The more he [Trump] threatens us, the stronger our movements become. His threats have united us against him, and we have everything to win in this fight.” Nico also spoke about the need to end 287(g) in Tampa and condemned Tampa Mayor Jane Castor's lack of support for the immigrant community in Tampa.

The Tampa Coalition Against the Trump Agenda consists of the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Tampa Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and the Hillsborough Young Democrats.

#TampaFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #PeoplesStruggles #TIRC

Tampa. FL – On Thursday, March 26, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied in solidarity on the same day of the second New York City court hearing of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

Students gathered in front of the Tampa’s Sam M. Gibbons Federal Courthouse in solidarity with Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores who are facing bogus federal charges. Students were also there to demanding U.S. out of Latin America and hands off Venezuela.

While downtown traffic passed by, students chanted “From Venezuela to the Middle East, end the U.S. war machine!” and “Hands off Venezuela now!”

Students were passionate and determined to continue the anti-war movement and to fight back against U.S. intervention.

“For years, the United States has reached into Latin America and tried to shape what happens in countries like Venezuela,” Jayce Solis, a member of Tampa Bay SDS, said. “Today’s rally was about making it clear that we’re not going to stay silent and we’re going to keep pushing back against U.S. intervention in Venezuela and in other countries too.”

#TampaFL #FL #AntiWarMovement #Venezuela

Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, March 10, around 25 students attended a rally called by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society against the freeze on H-1B visas and USFPD’s collaboration with ICE.

In February, the USF Police Department officially signed on to the 287(g) agreement that allows their officers to cross train as Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Earlier this month, the Florida Board of Governors, the governing body for public universities in Florida, approved a freeze on hiring new faculty through the H-1B visa program until the end of the year. The H-1B visa program allows employers nationwide to hire foreign workers for specialty occupations like professors. USF’s new President Moez Limayem was previously a recipient of the visa.

In response to these actions taken by the school, Tampa Bay SDS called a rally to demand USF protect international students and faculty. Students demanded that USF be designated a sanctuary campus, and for administration and USFPD to refuse to work with ICE, including not inviting them to the career fairs on campus.

“If they truly want to live up to the values they advertise, then they must prove it. Not with marketing slogans or student clubs, but with real protections and policies,” said SDS member Jayce Solis. “Until that happens, we will continue to organize, speak out, and we will continue to fight for the safety and dignity for every student on this campus.”

#TampaFL #FL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights

Tampa, FL – On Sunday, March 8, over 100 people marched through downtown Tampa for International Women’s Day. The march started and ended at Tampa City Hall.

Organized by the Tampa Immigrants’ Rights Committee, the event featured an organization fair and speakers from eight different organizations. The crowd chanted “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state,” “Money for jobs and education, not for war and deportation” and “My body my choice,” receiving enthusiastic support from passing by drivers and pedestrians.

Stephanie Yocum, president of the West Central Florida Labor Council, talked about the militant working-class women who created International Women’s Day, stating, “Today belongs to working women past and present, to those who demand dignity at work, to those who understand that justice in jobs is justice in life, and to those who continue that struggle today.”

Yocum also highlighted Florida Senate Bill 1296 which would raise the threshold for union recertification. This bill passed the Florida Senate on Friday, March 6. Like many other anti-union legislations in Florida, this one also does not apply to police, firefighters or correctional officers.

Yunqing Zheng from TampaIRC said, “we demand justice for women killed by increased border militarization, and we demand no ICE in our communities. Women and young girls in detention centers suffer from sexual assault to sterilization to medical neglect including denial of life saving care and postpartum care. We saw this happen in Tampa with Heidi Sanchez and Mabelyn Hernandez-Diaz who were detained while still nursing.” They also demanded justice for Renee Good, whose killer – Jonathan Ross – has yet to be charged and convicted.

“Building the fight against Trump and his agenda is crucial to fighting women’s oppression,” said Victoria Hinckley of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization. “We also demand no war with Iran! We refuse to believe the lies being told to us by the ruling class that the bombs the U.S. drop on Iran is somehow liberating for women.”

The event also featured speakers from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Tampa Democratic Socialists of America, and Hillsborough Young Democrats.

#TampaFL #FL #InternationalWomensDay #ImmigrantRights #WomensMovement

Tampa, FL – On Tuesday, March 3, 13 students rallied near the University of South Florida (USF) at a protest called by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Cars honked, and pedestrians raised their fists in solid