A University of Florida student who was reportedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was arrested for multiple traffic citations is back in Colombia, his mother says. NBC6’s Kim Wynne reports
A University of Florida student who was reportedly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after he was arrested for multiple traffic citations is back in Colombia, his mother said Tuesday.
Felipe Zapata Velasquez, 27, was cited for illegal license plate/attached mobile home sticker, driving with a license suspended or revoked with knowledge, having an expired tag after he was arrested in Gainesville the night of March 28, records showed.
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WATCH HEREPolice bodycam showed the moments Zapata Velasquez was stopped by a police officer.
"I'm an international student," he tells the officer. "I just came from Colombia."
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Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Democratic Congressman from the Orlando area, said Zapata Velasquez was later detained by ICE and taken to the Krome Detention Center in Miami-Dade.
ICE officials hadn't confirmed that Zapata Velasquez had been in their custody at Krome.
Nuestra Tele Noticias, a TV station in Latin America, spoke to his mother, Claudia Velasquez, who said her son was forced to sign documents that allow his deportation.
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She said he had been in the process of renewing his F-1 student visa.
In a statement Tuesday, Claudia Velasquez said her son had returned to Colombia, though she didn't say if he was deported or left the U.S. on his own.
"At this time, Felipe is undergoing a physical and emotional recovery process, and we are prioritizing his well-being and overall health," his mother said in Spanish in the statement. "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."
University of Florida officials confirmed Zapata Velasquez is a third-year undergrad student at the school, majoring in Food and Resource Economics at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, but didn't confirm he'd been detained.
His mother said his academic status at UF hasn't been resolved.
The detaining of Zapata Velasquez would reportedly be the first of a Florida college student since the Trump administration began its immigration crackdown.
Other international students have been detained at Columbia University, Tufts University, the University of Alabama and at Harvard University.
"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," Frost said in a statement.
UF student activist groups have planned a Wednesday demonstration to protest Zapata Velasquez's detainment.
