On March 28, 2025, University of Florida student Felipe Zapata Velázquez from Colombia was arrested during a routine traffic stop for minor infractions, including an expired vehicle tag and a suspended driver’s license.

Subsequently, he was transferred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and deported to Colombia.

Felipe is a third-year undergraduate studying in the US on a valid F-1 visa.

This disproportionate action has shocked students, university faculty, and public officials, who are organizing a protest against Felipe's deportation and the treatment of international students.

The Florida Democratic congressman Maxwell Frost accused authorities of “kidnapping” Velázquez: "What should have been a routine traffic stop resulted in a nightmare as Felipe is now forced to live in the hell on Earth that is the Krome detention center."

We demand that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the University of Florida take immediate action to immediately return Felipe Zapata Velázquez to the US to continue his studies.

Sign this petition to uphold the rights and dignity of all students, regardless of their country of origin.