OPINION: USF’s international students deserve better
USF used to be so proud of its diversity and of its contributions to building an equitable society.
These are the things USF is supposed to stand for.
But right now, USF is purging DEI-related content, limiting student activism and worst of all, University Police is planning to partner with ICE, as a public records request obtained by the Oracle has shown. The agreement with ICE is not yet in effect.
It gets harder every day to be a proud Bull.
Related: USF police plan to participate in immigration enforcement program
With President Donald Trump’s second term, the U.S. has been undergoing immigration crackdowns. On top of this, Gov. Ron DeSantis has directed all Florida state law enforcement to partake in the 287(g) program.
The 287(g) program refers to a section in the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act that allows ICE to partner with state and local enforcement to enforce federal immigration laws.
“Florida is setting the example for states in combating illegal immigration and working with the Trump Administration to restore the rule of law,” DeSantis said in a press release.
DeSantis said deportations will be carried out more efficiently, making our communities safer as “illegal aliens are removed.”
To have such a large population of international students and to still partner with ICE is such a kick in the gut to these students who are here legally on academic visas.
USF has more than 5,000 international students from more than 145 different countries, according to USF’s International Students Office of Admissions.
These students deserve better.
USF spokesperson Althea Johnson said some students — at USF and other schools — recently had their visas revoked by the federal government, but some are now reinstated.
Related: USF international students are among those losing visas
As a result of this partnership with ICE, international students may become less trusting of campus police and may not call for assistance when needed.
Under the 287(g) task force model, officers will be allowed to interrogate, detain or arrest people they suspect are violating federal immigration law.
Law enforcement would need reasonable suspicion to do so, which in some cases may just be racial profiling, a concern that led to the 287(g) program being removed in the Obama-era.
Reasonable suspicion could be anything from being suspected of committing a crime to speaking a language other than English.
But college is meant to be a place where we learn and become more accepting of others’ backgrounds and differences.
Even former Bulls are seeing what’s being done at USF and have said how disheartening it is.
Many USF alumni expressed disappointment with the university in the Oracle’s comment section on Facebook, saying they would no longer donate to the university.
Related: ICE can visit USF. Experts say students should know their rights.
Perhaps UP’s decision to sign an agreement with ICE was influenced by Florida’s political climate. But once again, it is disappointing to see USF succumb to such peer pressure.
When will we stop wavering to the bigoted demands of Trump and DeSantis?
You don’t need to be an international student to understand what is happening is detrimental to the students who consider USF their “home away from home.”
Make universities a place to study again, not a place to round up suspected “criminals” or a place to police diversity.
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