Months after participating in pro-Palestinian protests at the University of South Florida, Joseph Charry, an international student, has been forced to leave the country.
Charry, a junior studying sociology, was suspended for a year due to his involvement in the April demonstrations, where students called for USF to divest from companies supporting Israel. His suspension meant he could no longer meet the credit requirements for his student visa, ultimately leading to his deportation back to Colombia in late September, according to The Oracle, the school's student-run newspaper.
Charry claimed that although he left the protest by 5 p.m. that day to avoid visa complications, he was still targeted by university authorities. He was serving as the "admin liaison" during the protest and was suspended just before the spring semester ended. Although USF briefly lifted the suspension so Charry could take his final exams, his appeal over the summer was unsuccessful.
"They don't care if they deport a student," Charry told the Tampa Bay Times in July, after his punishment was handed down by the university. "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."
Now back in Colombia, Charry is exploring options to transfer to another institution, like Hillsborough Community College, in hopes of returning to the U.S. by the spring semester.
Four of the 13 individuals detained at the USF protests had their misdemeanor charges reduced to community service, while felony charges against two were reduced to misdemeanors, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
"Those who violate the USF Student Code of Conduct or university use of space policies are subject to sanctions from the university," USF spokesperson Althea Johnson told The Oracle.
Originally published in University Herald
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