An international student from the University of Florida has returned to Colombia after being detained by U.S. immigration officials following a traffic stop near campus.
Felipe Zapata Velásquez, 27, was arrested on March 28 for driving with a suspended license and expired vehicle registration.
Zapata Velásquez was pulled over near the University of Florida and explained to officers that he was renewing his F-1 student visa after transferring from Santa Fe College to UF four years ago.
According to the Gainesville Sun, his license had been suspended due to a citation in December 2023 for driving without a valid license and expired registration.
In addition to that incident, records show that in August 2021, he was ticketed for speeding—going 75 mph in a 45 mph zone. After pleading no contest, he was fined $349 but failed to pay, which led to the suspension of his Colombian driver’s license.
ICE agents transported Zapata Velásquez to Jacksonville, where he was given two options: self-deport to Colombia or remain in jail while awaiting his court hearing, his mother, Claudia Velásquez, told NTN24.
He initially chose to stay in the U.S. and was transferred to the Krome North Service Processing Center in Miami, she said. However, he ultimately returned to Colombia. His mother did not clarify whether he was deported or voluntarily signed self-deportation papers.
“I am pleased to inform that my son has returned to [Colombia] – from Miami. However, his immigration and academic situation with the University of Florida has not yet been resolved,” she said in a translated statement.
“At this moment, Felipe is in a process of physical and emotional recovery, and we are prioritizing his well-being and overall health. I sincerely appreciate the interest, solidarity and support that many have expressed regarding my son’s situation.”
Zapata Velásquez, who was a junior studying food and resource economics, currently has an uncertain academic standing at the University of Florida.
During the traffic stop, Gainesville officers could be heard discussing the potential consequences of the arrest.
“There goes his ability to get another visa, though,” Officer Tyler Allen remarked on bodycam footage.
His detention sparked criticism from several political figures. Florida Democratic Representatives Yvonne Hinson and Maxwell Frost publicly denounced the handling of the situation by ICE.
