Florida International University suspended two student leaders connected to a racist WhatsApp group chat, issuing two-year bans from campus and university-sponsored events. FIU said it suspended Abel Carvajal, described as a law student and creator of the group chat, and Dariel Gonzalez, identified as recruitment chair for the FIU College Republicans. The university cited violations tied to conduct-code behavior and written threats, with the banned students able to reapply only after the restriction period ends. The suspensions also intersect with pending legal challenges: Carvajal and Gonzalez sued FIU’s president over free-speech claims, and a judge dismissed their complaint at least in part because the campus punishment and appeals process was still pending. They are now appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, keeping the case focused on how campus policy and constitutional protections interact.