TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On Friday, March 6, Florida A&M University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) protested the university’s decision to sign the Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act. 

The agreement was signed in March of 2025 and authorizes local law enforcement officers to perform as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.  

The protest was held on the Quad at around 1:30 p.m. with law enforcement standing nearby. 

Adriana Clanton, a third-year accounting major from Atlanta, attended the protest as a co-lead of Dream Defenders, a grassroots social justice organization that advocates civil rights and the protection of marginalized communities. Clanton said the group’s primary concern was the university’s agreement with ICE and its implications for students. 

“We were hoping that the cop wouldn’t have any ill intent toward us,” Clanton said, emphasizing concerns about law enforcement presence during the demonstration. 

Before the protest began, law enforcement made clear that university policy prohibited water bottles on the Quad. Kaiden Rosa, of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, described the exchange. 

“The police didn’t want to speak with me because she said she couldn’t answer questions from a community member, so she told a student that we weren’t allowed to have water bottles here,” Rosa said. “She was very vague on exactly what was wrong with having water bottles and said that we should just look at the Student Code of Conduct.” 

FAMU Senior Director of Strategic Communications Rachel James-Terry provided a statement addressing concerns about the 287(g) agreement and its effect on students. 

“At this time, Florida A&M University has not received any request from law enforcement to detain or retain students based on immigration status,” it said. “FAMU Police officers do not contact, detain, question, or arrest individuals solely based on suspected undocumented immigration status, nor do they seek to determine an individual’s immigration status absent a lawful requirement.” 

According to the ICE government website, there are four different models of the program, ranging from different levels of involvement. At the moment, it is unclear which model the university has agreed on.