Xenophobia has never been so obvious.

In response to the nationwide debate over immigration issues, the College Republicans last week proposed a "Catch an Illegal Immigrant" game in which participants would locate designated "immigrants," take them to the HUB-Robeson Center and receive a prize.

Calling this idea offensive would be a colossal understatement.

Naturally, minority student groups, such as Latino Caucus and Black Caucus, were insulted by the proposal and voiced their objections.

Unfortunately, the most memorable voice to come through was Black Caucus spokesman Darryl Watson's unnecessary use of an expletive to express his frustration. Though an understandable reaction, Watson's comment was also inappropriate and served only to direct attention away from College Republicans' ridiculous idea and onto Black Caucus's inability to deal with this issue appropriately.

In this moment of obvious frustration, Watson made a poor decision as the leader of an influential student group. And as a result, the disagreement has resulted in little more than good theater.

In a compromise with the Latino Caucus, College Republican members have agreed to alter "Illegal Immigration Awareness Day" so that interested students will receive instead fact sheets from other students wearing T-shirts bearing the words "Illegal Immigrant."

While hardly less offensive, this new approach is also doomed to failure. Who wants to talk about immigration on their way to class? The College Republicans might find a surprisingly few number of students interested at all in their misdirected cause.

The issue of immigrant rights, which has prompted thousands of Americans to protest in the streets recently, is an issue that deserves adequate attention from Penn State students on both sides of the debate.

But the College Republicans -- and to a certain extent Black Caucus -- have managed to make the issue a joke.

However this time, no one's laughing.