Orlando, FL – Despite poor weather, on Wednesday, September 9, 40 University of Central Florida students gathered to march on Millican Hall and demand an end to the school’s 287(g) agreement.
The rally was organized by UCF Students for a Democratic Society, Young Democratic Socialists of America, and Sunrise Movement.
Last semester, UCF SDS leaders met with members of administration, including Vice President of Student Success and Well-Being Adrienne Frame and Andrea Guzmán, the vice president for Access and Community Engagement in UCF Global. During the meeting, the members of administration repeatedly dismissed student demands and ignored student recommendations, essentially asserting that federal agents should be allowed to do whatever they please on campus.
Angie Orengo, the president of UCF Sunrise Movement, told the crowd, “Florida was the blueprint. They started here so that they could practice, learn, and perfect the craft of kidnapping people, so that they could do it all over our country. UCF is a part of the many schools in our nation that have signed the 287(g) agreement allowing UCF PD to partner with Homeland Security and deputize our UCF PD officers to allow them to detain international students.”
Grisha Glozman, the president of UCF SDS, spoke on how UCF administration chooses to side with the Trump administration rather its their own students. “These murders, these acts of terror against our communities, must serve as constant reminders of what we’re fighting against. But as these atrocities continue to fester, the UCF administration has continued to dig its heels into the dirt.”
Glozman continued, “Every time you see someone like President Cartwright, remember that he will help ICE however he can to hunt our neighbors down. This administration is not our friend, they’ve shown that very clearly.”
Pablo Valenzuela of UCF YDSA highlighted the hypocrisy of UCF administration, stating, “To those who oppose us claiming to be champions of legality and justice, they themselves are the truest hypocrites of all! For what is more illegal than the destruction of human dignity that they have brought upon us. What is more illegal that using the tuition we pay to kill children in Palestine or rounding up people in cages, destroying their dignity!”
After the speeches, the student protesters marched through market day and ended the rally at Memory Mall, chanting, “Admin admin you can’t hide, stop supporting ICE’s crimes” and “Dare to struggle, dare to win!”
#OrlandoFL #FL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #ICE #UCF #287g
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