The University of North Florida has signed a pending agreement with ICE that would allow qualified officers to perform certain functions of an immigration officer, according to a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the UNFPD and ICE.
The agreement states that ICE can train certain UNF police officers in immigration enforcement to work on ICE’s behalf. Before UNF police officers are given any acting authority, they must complete mandatory training provided by ICE instructors and pass examinations equivalent to those given to ICE officers, according to the MOA.
The MOA being pursued by UNF is a part of the national 287(g) program, which allows designated officers in state and local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration laws.
Under the MOA’s task force model, which gives participating officers the authority to “interrogate any alien or person believed to be an alien” about their right to remain in the country, as well as the power to make arrests without a warrant in some cases.
UNF Police Chief Frank Mackesy signed the agreement on March 5, 2025, the MOA states.
UNFPD signed the MOA with ICE as directed by Governor Ron DeSantis to all state law enforcement agencies, according to UNF Assistant Director of Media Relations Amanda Ennis. The agreement has not gone into effect because it ICE has not signed and returned the agreement to UNF.
The UNF faculty union (UFF-UNF) released a preliminary statement about the agreement between UNF and ICE.
In the statement provided by Mark Halley and Tobias Huning, UFF-UNF president and vice president, they urged UNF to take “courageous action.”
Universities that have signed agreements with ICE
UNF is one of 10 Florida public universities to sign an agreement with ICE. The following universities have signed agreements with ICE, Inside Higher Ed reports.
- The University of North Florida
- Florida A&M University
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Florida International University
- New College of Florida
- The University of Central Florida
- The University of Florida
- The University of South Florida
- The University of West Florida
Florida State University is in the process of signing the agreement, and Florida Polytechnic University is considering signing an agreement with ICE, according to Inside Higher Ed.
UNF’s agreement comes two months after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced an additional MOA between Florida Law Enforcement and ICE. The memo allows the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Florida State Guard “to be trained and approved by ICE to perform immigration enforcement duties,” at the discretion of Gov. DeSantis.
According to a list of agencies participating in the 287(g) program, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office already has a signed MOA with ICE. The agreement was signed on Feb. 26, 2025.
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