A group of Florida International University students has filed a lawsuit against the university and its president after they were punished for holding a silent protest during a campus event against the school’s agreement to partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Protest Details

The seven students, who call themselves the “ICEbreakers,” stood up silently in the middle of a campus event hosted by FIU President Jeanette Nunez, wearing shorts that read “ICE off FIU.” The school claims the group was blocking the view of event attendees.

Student Kaitlyn Daley, who was among the seven students who participated in the March protest, said, “ICE has no place at FIU and that has been our goal all along.” The group was later charged with failure to comply with a request or directive of a university official and were told to create two-minute videos explaining the school’s policy and how they allegedly violated it.

Lawsuit and Demands

The 13-page lawsuit says the charges violate the students’ First Amendment rights. The students, with the help of the ACLU, are seeking to have the charges dropped and are also demanding that the university end its 287G agreement, which gives campus officers certain ICE powers.

FIU President Jeanette Nunez had previously stated that the school has to allow any agency, including ICE, to come onto campus. The students have until September to record their two-minute apology videos but have stated they do not plan on making them.

Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.