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.
Seven students in total were punished for holding the protest, which they say violated their right to free speech.
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"ICE has no place at FIU and that has been our goal all along," said student Kaitlyn Daley, who was among the seven students who participated in the March protest.
The group 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.
"She didn’t say anything. She didn’t even flinch. We just kind of walked out. None of the officers spoke to us until after we left the building," Daley said.
A month later, the group, which calls themselves "ICEbreakers,"received letters from the university, charging them with failure to comply with a request or directive of a university official.
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We were honestly really shocked to see that we got the charges considering how little we were interacted with," Daley said.
They were each told to create two-minute videos explaining the school's policy and how they allegedly violated it.
If not, Daley said the school told them they wouldn't be able to register for classes and wouldn't get their degrees.
They tried to appeal the charges in June but lost, and with the help of the ACLU, have filed a lawsuit.
"We’re sick of it. And we decided to sue the school," Daley said.
The 13-page lawsuit says the charges violate the students' First Amendment rights.
Daley said not only do they want the charges dropped, they also want the university to end its 287G agreement, which gives campus officers certain ICE powers.
NBC6 reached out to FIU for a statement and was waiting to hear back.
Last year, Nunez spoke with NBC6's Jackie Nespral about the school's partnership with ICE.
"If ICE wants to come on campus, regardless of the agreement they will come. We have to allow any agency, whether it’s federal, ICE team or its state or local sheriff's office. They do have access to come into our campus," she said.
Daley said they have until September to record their two-minute apology videos but said for now, they don't plan on making them.