FIU students reprimanded after silent ICE protest during president’s speaking event

SWEETWATER, Fla. — Controversy is swirling at Florida International University.

Seven students say they were targeted and disciplined after wearing anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement t-shirts to a school event.

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The students say the university is forcing them to record a video about a policy they violated in order to register for classes.

The shirts in question read “ICE OFF FIU.”

“We felt very betrayed by this action,” said student Reinier Luna.

For more than a year, those students said they have expressed concerns to the administration that they say fell on deaf ears.

“The most notable one for the past year and a half was the increasing occupancy of ICE on our campus,” said student and protest organizer Carlton Daley.

In order to get the message across, the students assembled during an event on campus that FIU President Jeanette Nunez was hosting with former MLB baseball star Alex Rodriguez back in March.

At one point, they say, they stood up and revealed their shirts.

“After about a minute or so facing the audience, we then turned around to face the stage where Nunez and A-Rod were having their conversation,” said student Andrew Caro. “Shortly after that, about a minute of just standing, we then peacefully, silently, not disruptively all left together.”

Added student Kaitlyn Daley: “I was shocked by how little she reacted because she did not flinch, she kept going.”

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The students said nothing happened after they left the event, but then they received an email a month later saying they were responsible for violating Regulation 110 of the FIU Student Conduct and Honor Code, which states: “Failure to comply with a request or directive of a university official.”

“Even the whole time we were standing, there was never a FIU official, officer, absolutely no one came up to any one of us saying that we were causing a disruption,” said Luna.

Last month, a hearing was held and the students were reprimanded.

“All their testimonies kind of went against the evidence that was provided,” said student Caleb Dean.

The students were told they had to record videos about FIU policies they allegedly violated or be forced to have a hold on their accounts, where they won’t be able to sign up for classes or receive a diploma.

“When we are going to make these video, we are going to express how unconstitutional it is, how it violates our first amendment,” said Caro.

FIU released a statement to Local 10 News regarding the incident, which read: