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Conservative Student Group Criticized for “Catch an Illegal Immigrant” Game

Conservative Student Group Criticized for “Catch an Illegal Immigrant” Game
11/19/2013
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Suada Kolovic

In general, college is viewed as the sacred time in your young adult life where you make connections that will last a lifetime, take part in heavily heated debates on issues you're passionate about and play games where you're rewarded with a $25 gift card to the Olive Garden for “catching” illegal immigrants. Wait...something about the latter statement seems WAY too terrible and offensive to be true, right?!

The Houston Chronicle reported that students from a conservative student group at the University of Texas planned to stage a “Catch an Illegal Immigrant” game on Wednesday with the hopes of sparking a campus-wide conversation about illegal immigration. The game involves participants “capturing” volunteers masquerading as undocumented immigrants. The group took to their Facebook page to defend their event and Lorenzo Garcia, the chairman of the university’s Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT) chapter, reiterated that the purpose of the game is start a debate and not to promote prejudice. We should note that YCT is no stranger to controversy: In September, they held an “affirmative-action bake sale” where there sold treats to students at prices that varied depending on their race and gender. Yikes!

University leaders have been quite vocal about condemning the planned immigration game. UT Austin President William C. Powers, Jr. said the proposed event was “completely out of line” with the university’s values. “Our nation continues to grapple with difficult questions surrounding immigration. I ask YCT to be part of that discussion but to find more productive and respectful ways to do so that do not demean their fellow students,” he added.

As this blog post was being written, the event was cancelled but what do you think about this “game” proposed by YCT? Do you find it offensive and disrespectful? Let us know in the comments section.

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