Thread: Illegal immigration on the mind of NKU group

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Last Updated: 6:03 pm | Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Illegal immigration on the mind of NKU group
BY MARIANNE WELLENDORF | COMMUNITY RECORDER STAFF WRITER
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS - A new political group has sprung up at Northern Kentucky University that is aimed at informing students about what they say are the perils of illegal immigration.

College Students for Security (CSS), a conservative group that was born during NKU College Republicans meeting, focuses on combating illegal immigration in the United States.

"As College Republicans, we had the idea to take the single issue of illegal immigration and focus on it," NKU College Republican President Eric Cranley said. "This was such a hot topic during the elections and an issue that a lot of campaigns focused on."

Steve Ward, a member of College Republicans and a founding force behind CSS, said he hopes the group will soon become recognized by the university.

"We have 15 people already signed up so all we need now is a faculty advisor," Ward said. "We haven't asked anyone yet to be the advisor but we're getting ready to."

Ward and Cranley are both senior Business Information Systems majors and they said that while the group was the brainchild of the Republicans, it's really a group for anyone concerned with national security.

"Immigrants crossing the boarders and coming in freely affect a lot of things," Ward said. "We're not looking to protest anything, the group just wants to inform students about what is going on in the world. With our boarders being so open, any unknown terrorist can come in."

Adam Sandfoss, vice president of the NKU College Democrats, said he supports the new group.

"The NKU College Democrats support any group that invokes student involvement and opens up the doors to debate and communication," Sandfoss said. "I do not know much of the group...I thank them for speaking their opinions, regardless if I agree or not, and for providing an outlet for students with the same opinion to make their voices heard."

Sandfoss said the most important aspect for anyone agreeing or disagreeing with the group is to remember freedom of speech.

"Freedom of speech is a right that many of us take for granted and is a right that we need to embrace, as it is the cornerstone of our very country."

Sandfoss did not elaborate on the group's stance on the issue of illegal immigration.

Cranley said one way to combat the problem of illegal immigration is to secure all boarders.

"If you're going to be in this country we should know that you are here and you should contribute to the cost of things," Ward said. "People shouldn't just live in the shadows."

Ward and Cranley said that while they won't be protesting any government policy, they will use the university's open plaza level to demonstrate for attention to their cause.

"In the end, our goal is just to inform students, although I guess controversy is inevitable," Ward said.

Nice to see the young people getting involved.