{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3524", "Wasserman Schultz Calls on FIU to Rescind Punishment of Student ICE Protest", "2026-07-21", "2026", "2026-07", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Debbie Wasserman Schultz", "W000797", "wassermanschultz.house.gov", "wassermanschultz", "https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) called on Florida International University (FIU) to rescind its disciplinary actions against students who engaged in silent protest against the university\u2019s voluntary collaboration with ICE enforcement on campus.\n\nIn March, seven students engaged in a silent protest at a school event. Recently, the students were told they had to record videos about FIU policies that they allegedly violated or have a hold placed on their accounts, preventing them from signing up for classes or receiving a diploma.\n\n\u201cThis push to muzzle silent protest is a gross violation of our Constitution, FIU's own rules and sets a dangerous precedent,\u201d said Wasserman Schultz. \u201cI'm hopeful that by rescinding these forced-confession punishments FIU can restore its reputation for rigorous speech and debate.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here or below:\n\nDear President Nu\u00f1ez,\n\nThe recent penalization imposed by Florida International University\u2019s (FIU) administration upon seven of its students for their silent protest staged at a campus event in March of this year is a grave violation of First Amendment free-speech protections. FIU\u2019s actions set up a dangerous precedent and will have a chilling effect on students\u2019 ability to freely express themselves and their ideas\u2014a bedrock tenet of our free and democratic society, as enshrined in our Constitution, particularly in a university environment.\n\nFIU\u2019s own regulations, as defined in FIU-110 Expressive Activities in Outdoor Areas on Campus, protect students\u2019 First Amendment activities, including \u201cassemblies, demonstrations, exercises of free speech, protests, parades, marches, and picketing protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and Article 1 of the Florida Constitution.\u201d FIU regulations permit such activities so long as they are lawful and do not \u201c[\u2026] materially and substantially disrupt the normal operations of the University or materially and substantially infringe upon the rights of others.\u201d\n\nFIU has maintained that the seven students violated a university ban on expressive activities indoors. However, students\u2019 First Amendment rights on campus have been upheld at the federal level at least since the Supreme Court precedent set in 1969 by the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District decision. The majority ruled in Tinker that neither students nor teachers \u201cshed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.\u201d\n\nUniversity regulations plainly serve to prevent disruption of the learning environment. It is disingenuous to suggest that the seven students standing up to display the message on their shirts is \u201cmaterially and substantially\u201d disruptive to normal university operations.\n\nPer public reporting, the punishment levied against students includes forcing them to record a two-minute video explaining university expectations around indoor and outdoor areas, which they could be compelled to re-record if it does not meet FIU Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity standards. This punishment itself violates students\u2019 First Amendment rights, given that no governing body can force individuals to support certain expressions\u2014 often referred to as the compelled speech doctrine\u2014 as upheld by West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette.\n\nFIU\u2019s violation of constitutionally guaranteed free-speech rights for students is thus twofold. Responding to the violation of a protected First Amendment expression with a further violation is an unacceptable form of disciplinary action. The university\u2019s actions send a clear message to students that free expression will be silenced if it is convenient for the university, and that they must fall in line or suffer the consequences.\n\nThis presents a clear disincentive for students to voice controversial, unpopular or divisive opinions, which is both a right and an important part of the education process. As part of the State University System of Florida, FIU adopted its Statement of Free Expression \u201cto support and encourage full and open discourse and the robust exchange of ideas and perspectives on our respective campuses.\u201d Punishing students in the aforementioned manner for silent protest is in direct violation of this statement, as well as FIU\u2019s publicly stated values of \u201cfreedom of thought and expression.\u201d\n\nAs a public university supported by federal funding and entrusted with advancing the education of our students, FIU has a responsibility to uphold students\u2019 First Amendment rights. I strongly urge FIU to rescind its disciplinary actions against these students and fully restore First Amendment speech protections for its student body.\n\nSincerely,\n\nDebbie Wasserman Schultz\n\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-07-22T07:34:13Z", "2026-07-22T07:35:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://wassermanschultz.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3524"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.194775104522705, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}