UF Student Family Fights to Bring Him Back After ICE Detention
The family of Felipe Zapata Velásquez, a 28-year-old UF student, is working to return him to the United States after he was detained by ICE and later self-deported to Colombia.
A Dream Interrupted by Detention and Deportation
Gainesville police arrested Zapata Velásquez on March 28 for driving with an expired license and registration. At the time, he held an F-1 student visa in the U.S. After spending three days in jail, authorities transferred him to ICE custody and later detained him at the Krome Detention Center in Miami.
Enrollment Dispute and Self-Deportation Raise Legal Questions
According to ICE, his student status was terminated in SEVIS in October 2024 due to a lapse in enrollment. However, a UF spokesperson stated that Zapata Velásquez remains enrolled at the university and had also been enrolled last fall. Still, officials did not disclose further academic details due to federal student privacy laws.
On April 6, ICE confirmed his voluntary departure back to Colombia. His case appears to be the first known ICE detention of a Florida college student since the Trump administration’s latest immigration crackdown.
Family Launches Legal and Fundraising Campaign
Following his removal, family and friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help fund the legal effort to bring him back to the U.S. and finish his studies at the University of Florida. The fundraiser has raised over $6,400 toward its $10,000 goal.
“He came to the U.S. to pursue a dream of education, growth, and giving back,” the campaign reads. “That dream is now hanging in the balance.”
Uncertainty for Florida’s International Students
Zapata Velásquez is one of more than 1,800 international students affected by recent student visa terminations, many of which were only reversed last week. His case remains a striking example of how minor legal infractions can lead to life-altering consequences for non-citizen students.
His family continues to advocate for his return, dignity, and future in the U.S.
More…
- https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/family-of-uf-student-who-self-deported-wants-to-return-him-to-us-22990331#:~:text=A%20GoFundMe%20campaign%20 launched%20by,to%20help%20 him%20 return%20to
- https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/04/11/lxdj-a11.html
- https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article303879906.html
