An international student studying at the University of Florida has been deported to his home country, Colombia, after he was arrested and accused of traffic violations, his family and local officials said.
Felipe Zapata Velázquez, 27, is one of the latest foreign students studying in the United States to be deported after a widespread crackdown by the Trump administration.
A protest to demand that his immigration status be restored was scheduled at the college at 12:15 p.m. ET Wednesday.
NBC Miami obtained body-worn camera video showing the moment police stopped Zapata Velázquez in Gainesville on March 28. "I'm an international student," he tells an officer. "I just came from Colombia."
Police records cited by NBC Miami show he was cited for numerous offenses, including having an illegal license plate and driving with a suspended or revoked license and registration tag.
Like many others who have faced detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Zapata Velázquez had a valid F-1 student visa. The university confirmed that he is a third-year undergraduate majoring in food and resource economics but said it could not comment further for privacy reasons.
Claudia Velázquez, his mother, told Colombian TV station Nuestra Tele Noticias this week that her son was told he could wait in detention while the immigration court handled the case or sign his own deportation papers.
"At this time, Felipe is undergoing a physical and emotional recovery process, and we are prioritizing his well-being and overall health," she said in a statement in Spanish obtained and translated by NBC Miami.
"I sincerely appreciate the interest, solidarity, and support that many have expressed regarding my son's situation. When his situation is fully clarified, and if he deems it appropriate, Felipe will personally address any additional requests or communications."
Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said Zapata Velázquez was taken to the Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade County.
In a statement this week, Maxwell said President Donald Trump and ICE were "running a government-funded kidnapping program."
"Felipe Zapata Velasquez is just the latest victim of Trump’s disgusting campaign against immigrants. 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 while he awaits deportation orders," said Frost, a member of the House Oversight Committee.
Dimitris Liveris, leader of the University of Florida Young Democratic Socialists of America, which was organizing Wednesday's protest, told NBC Miami: "Right now, we're seeing waves and waves of fear throughout the student body because people don't know what's going to get them placed in an ICE prison."
