Tampa Students rally against USF’s official collaboration with ICE
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 solidarity with the rally.
Tampa Bay SDS recently announced that the 287(g) agreement between the USF Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement was made official and active on February 10. This agreement expands the duties of local police departments to act as immigration agents, posing a danger to international and immigrant students at USF.
“The new USF president, Moez Limayem, may present himself as a progressive USF president but look at what he has done!” Vicky Tong, a member of Tampa Bay SDS, declared. “Just two months into becoming USF president, Moez approved USFPD to collaborate with ICE, and approved USFPD to sign onto this 287(g) agreement.”
While students held up signs reading, “Fuck ICE” and “Sanctuary campus now,” students chanted “Money for education, not for war and deportations!”
“No student and no teacher should be afraid of being arrested or deported because of their immigration status,” Dhanvi Patel, a Tampa Bay SDS member, shouted. “We will continue to fight here on our streets, on our campus, until we have a university that truly supports and protects all students and faculty!”