USF student deported after visa issues amid suspension for divestment protest
The student, Joseph Charry, was suspended by the University of South Florida for a year for his involvement in a divestment protest in April.
This reportedly prevented him from meeting the requirements for his student visa, resulting in his deportation back to Colombia.
An international student at the University of Southern Florida (USF) was forced to leave the country following his suspension stemming from his participation in an anti-Israel demonstration at the school during the spring semester.
The student, Joseph Charry, was suspended by the university for a year for his involvement in a divestment protest in April. This prevented him from meeting the requirements for his student visa, resulting in his deportation back to Colombia, according to The Oracle.
“They don’t care if they deport a student,” Charry previously told the Tampa Bay Times. “They’re not invested in the welfare of students. And it’s crazy that the one starting all these code of conduct charges is the dean of students, who we are supposed to talk to, and who’s supposed to manage things with us.”
Charry was reportedly a junior majoring in sociology at USF.
Spectrum News reported in April about the anti-Israel protest held on USF’s campus that Charry attended. “No one here is being antisemitic – no one here is against Jewish people,” he claimed during the protest.
“USF strives to provide an environment free from discrimination or harassment on any basis, including religious beliefs,” the university administration stated in the wake of that protest. “As we have reaffirmed numerous times in recent months, antisemitism has no place in our society and will not be tolerated on our campuses.”
Campus Reform previously reported about an anti-Israel protest at USF that took place on Aug. 29 and involved more than a dozen student demonstrators; the demonstration was eventually ended by USF staff.
“[W]e will not allow violent, disruptive or aggressive acts that do not comply with university policy or the law,” USF President Rhea Law said in response to the protest.
In May, Campus Reform also reported that one anti-Israel demonstrator at USF had a firearm on campus.
“As the day progressed, police observed participants in person and through social media expressing their intent to use some of the items they brought on campus as weapons and to resist university staff members and law enforcement officer,” a USF spokesperson said at the time.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of South Florida for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
