Overview
- The student group ICEBreakers and seven FIU students filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleging their First Amendment rights were violated by university discipline.
- The complaint says the March 13, 2026, demonstration lasted under five minutes during a Presidential Speaker Series event with Jeanette Nuñez and Alex Rodriguez and remained silent while the program continued.
- FIU found six of the seven students responsible under Regulation 110(3), issued written reprimands, and ordered two‑minute reflective videos by Sept. 4 under threat of administrative holds if the submissions are not provided or deemed inadequate; the students’ appeals were denied on July 16.
- The plaintiffs seek a court ruling that Regulation 110(3) is unconstitutional, an order barring FIU leaders from enforcing it against ICEBreakers, and compensatory and punitive damages, and they are represented by the ACLU of Florida and the Community Justice Project.
- The suit frames the protest as a response to FIU Police’s 287(g) agreement with ICE finalized July 7, 2025, and raises broader questions about the limits of campus disciplinary rules for indoor expressive activity and the chilling effect on student speech.