The United Faculty of Florida (UFF) unequivocally condemns the recently revealed partnerships between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and campus police departments within Florida’s State University System. These agreements, conducted without meaningful transparency or community input, represent a profound betrayal of the core values of higher education and an alarming escalation in the ongoing erosion of democratic norms in our state.
Our campuses must be institutions of learning, critical inquiry, and inclusion—not instruments of surveillance and state-sponsored oppression. The presence and involvement of ICE on our campuses sows fear among students, staff, and faculty, particularly those from immigrant, undocumented, or international communities. It undermines the very mission of our higher education system: to foster open dialogue, intellectual freedom, and the free exchange of ideas across borders and identities.
These ICE partnerships are not merely administrative decisions—they are part of a broader pattern of authoritarian overreach and political repression targeting Florida’s public institutions. They are a chilling message to our most vulnerable communities and a direct assault on academic freedom, shared governance, and the right of every member of our campus communities to feel safe, supported, and free from intimidation.
UFF stands in solidarity with all students, faculty, and staff impacted by these harmful collaborations. We affirm our commitment to defending the integrity of Florida’s colleges and universities against policies that criminalize identity, silence dissent, and prioritize surveillance over safety.
We call on university administrations to immediately disclose the terms of any agreements with ICE or similar agencies and to terminate any partnerships that compromise the wellbeing and trust of our campus communities.
Higher education should be a beacon of democratic practice—not a pipeline to deportation. Voicing opposition to our democracy is not a crime, and violations to free speech are not going to be tolerated on our campuses, where so many movements have begun.
In the face of fear, we organize. In the face of repression, we resist. UFF will continue to fight for a Florida where all people—regardless of immigration status—can teach, learn, and live with dignity.
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The United Faculty of Florida represents over 25,000 faculty at all 12 public universities, 15 colleges and Saint Leo University, along with graduate assistants at four universities.
Statement from the United Faculty of Florida on ICE Partnerships in the State University System
