During a time of political uncertainty, international students find themselves at the crossroads of legislative changes.
For one student, who was granted anonymity for fear of jeopardizing her U.S. residency, the crackdowns on F-1 visas have made it difficult for her to drive around town, as she fears being pulled over and detained, she said. She refuses to post political opinions on social media or speak out against the Trump administration in fear of getting her visa canceled.
She’s only been in the U.S. for a year, she said.
“I’m scared. Even [if I don’t do anything] there is a possibility,” she said. “[Of] going back to [my] home country or going to jail.”
UF is partnering with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, UF spokesperson Cynthia Roldan confirmed April 10. UF Police Department signed a 287(g) agreement, which allows local law enforcement to collaborate with ICE for immigration enforcement.
“International students encountering any problems or concerns regarding their immigration status are encouraged to reach out to one of the center's international student advisors for guidance,” Roldán said in an email statement.
The partnership comes almost two weeks after immigration enforcement officers detained UF student Felipe Zapata Velásquezafter he was arrested for driving under an expired license. Other Florida colleges, including the University of South Florida and Florida Atlantic University, have signed similar agreements, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Rafael Solórzano, a UF professor in the Center for Latin American studies, learned about Zapata Velásquez’s situation through his students.
“Even before Felipe, my students are already feeling scared, and this really magnifies it,” he said. “We’re seeing a chilling effect.”
International students who have come to UF to receive an education are scared to share their opinion, not only in public spaces, but in the classroom as well, Solórzano said.
“I think it's important for us to really contextualize what's happening right now at UF,” Solórzano said. “This particular student, Felipe, represents many students across the United States. If it could happen to Felipe… it could happen to any student.”
Student visas
According to Roldan, eight UF student visas were revoked as of April 10.
The reasoning for the revocations remains unclear and faculty cannot disclose student information shielded by FERPA laws. Under current regulations, the U.S. Department of State can revoke non-immigrant visas, including F-1 visas, for people arrested for driving under the influence or similar offenses.
The F-1 visa allows someone to “enter the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university…or other academic institution or in a language training program,” according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services website.
Over 900 international students have had their visas revoked at about 170 colleges and universities, according to Inside Higher Ed.
Several schools, such as Harvard and Columbia, have told various news outlets they were not given notice or reasoning for student visas being revoked.
Though being on an F-1 visa does not mean a person is undocumented, the rise of ICE personnel has heightened fear among those who are, according to edtrust.
A 2025 report by edtrust detailed “undocumented students and students with undocumented family members…are experiencing a heightened fear of deportation due to the rhetoric and policies of the Trump administration.”
The report further noted “there are approximately 408,000 undocumented students currently enrolled at public and private higher education institutions,” with Florida being among the highest of undocumented populations.
Protesting ICE
More than 90 people gathered in Turlington Plaza April 9 to protest the deportation of Zapata Velásquezand advocate for the inclusion of an immigration attorney within the scope of Student Legal Services, The Alligator previously reported.
Zapata Velásquez, a 27-year-old food and resource economics junior international student, was taken into ICE custody after being arrested for driving under an expired license March 28.
Zapata Velásquez is now in Colombia, according to a statement his mother shared.
“At this time, Felipe is undergoing a physical and emotional recovery process, and we are prioritizing his well-being and overall health,” she wrote.
Free Felipe! ICE Off Campus, organized by the UF Young Democratic Socialists of America, began in Turlington Plaza at 12:15 p.m. and culminated in an unsuccessful attempt to deliver a petition to Tigert Hall. Students and faculty members held signs reading “Support international students” and “Keep ICE off campus” as the crowd chanted “stand with Felipe.”
Aron Ali-McClory, a 22-year-old UF political science and anthropology senior, led the protest from Turlington to Tigert Hall. The UF YDSA co-chair spoke to the crowd about what they called an injustice on the part of both the U.S. government and the university.
“[We are here] to fight back against the idea that U.S. students in the U.S. community will let this happen to one of our own,” Ali-McClory said.
In the week leading up to the protest, UF YDSA collected signatures for a petition demanding the expansion of Student Legal Services to include legal representation for immigration matters. Student Legal Services offers a variety of different services to meet the legal needs and representation of eligible UF students, but it doesn’t cover immigration services. The group intended to deliver the petition to UF administration at Tigert Hall but the doors were locked with signs prohibiting entrance to protesters.
The regulations preventing protesters from entering a campus building generally apply to students, so UF YDSA sent community and faculty members, Ali-McMclory said. “UF administration and police still denied them that opportunity to have student body voices heard,” they added.
“The truth is that this kind of arrest and detention can happen to any number of people that we know,” Ali-McClory said. “It is imperative that we show up for each other.”
Steven Sykes, a 19-year-old philosophy, political science and economics sophomore, has been part of UF YDSA for two years and organized the protest. He said UF failed Zapata Velasquez by not providing immigration legal services before the student was ever arrested at a traffic stop.
“We're seeing the consequences of their inaction, and we have to fight back,” Sykes said. “The university, somewhere along the line, failed to protect him.”
The UF International Center offers international student advisers and urges students to seek advice to avoid potential visa status issues. While it provides an emergency line for students on F-1 or J-1 visas, it does not offer direct access to immigration attorneys.
The center did not respond to The Alligator's email inquiries in time for publication.
Gemma Egan, a 21-year-old UF history senior, had never participated in an on-campus protest before. But when she walked out of her midday lecture in Turlington Hall, she was compelled to join the protesters in their cause, she said.
“I had no idea about this,” she said. “But I agree with their statement, and I agree with what they're saying, and I agree that ICE is ruining our country.”
Students and UF should be protecting their own instead of protecting the government, she said.
U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), a member of the House Oversight Committee, condemned Zapata Velásquez’s detention in a written statement shared April 7, and said Trump and ICE were “running a government-funded kidnapping program.”
“Felipe Zapata Velásquezis just the latest victim of Trump’s disgusting campaign against immigrants,” Frost said.
Contact Vivienne Serret and Vera Lucia Pappaterra at vserret@alligator.org and vpappaterra@alligator.org. Follow them on X @vivienneserret and @veralupap.
Vera Lucia Pappaterra is the enterprise race and equity reporter and a second-year journalism major. She has previously worked on the university desk as the university general assignment reporter. In her free time, she enjoys deadlifting 155 lbs. and telling everyone about it.
Vivienne Serret is a UF journalism and criminology senior, serving as the Fall 2024 race and equity reporter for The Alligator's Enterprise desk. She previously worked as a columnist and previously reported for The Alligator's university desk as the student government reporter. She loves karaoke and lifting at the gym.
