Chants proclaiming equality and an end to campus racism echoed throughout the HUB-Robeson Center yesterday as more than 300 students rallied against the Penn State College Republicans' plans to hold an Illegal Immigration Awareness Day.

"I'm here to tell you that enough is enough," Tyisha Burroughs (junior-political science and communication) said. "You have a right to be here without fear, without being ostracized. You don't have to justify your existence in this country -- in this school -- to anyone."

Students representing organizations such as the Asian Pacific American Student Caucus and Latino Caucus spoke at the rally, which was organized by True Voices, an unofficial student group promoting equality.

According to a True Voices press release, the rally demonstrated against the College Republicans-sponsored Illegal Immigration Awareness Day, which will take place Wednesday.

The event aims to raise awareness about illegal immigration and highlight the positive aspects of legal immigration. Plans originally included a "Catch an Illegal Immigrant Game," but the game was eliminated after discussion between the Latino Caucus and College Republicans. Instead, the event organizers will pass out information and answer questions about immigration.

College Republicans Chairman Seth Bender said Illegal Immigration Awareness Day would be held as planned, despite ongoing protests from campus groups.

Latino Caucus Vice President Raquel Jones said it is important to discuss each side of the immigration issue.

"Saying that we have compromised with them does not mean we have compromised our emotions," Jones said. "By working with the College Republicans, we can only hope that they see the error in their way of thinking."

After learning that members of the College Republicans were present at the rally, Louise Hall (senior-human development and family studies) told the group it had no support.

"You can keep making jokes because ... I don't think you realize the lack of support you have," she said. "I'm sick and tired of all this crap you do. It's not fair to anyone in this room, and it's not fair to humans in general."

Ali Fuller, a College Republicans member who attended the rally, said Illegal Immigration Awareness Day is not offensive or insensitive.

"I don't understand how the word racism has been used hundreds of times now, and it is not manifested in our activity," Fuller said. "Our activity was designed to promote legal immigration and denote illegal immigration."

On Wednesday, the university released a statement urging the College Republicans to rethink their approach to the event.

Meredith Moxley (senior-integrative arts and secondary English education) said she commended the administration for taking action.

"It's one of the first things the university has done in a while that I'm proud of," Moxley said. "I respect everyone's right to freedom to speech, but I think it was very honorable of the university to make that statement."

Burroughs said she was angry that a statement from the administration was not released until recently.

"We are not Penn State because Penn State doesn't want us here," she said. "If they did, it would not have taken them so long to respond. Where were they when this started? They weren't standing behind their students."

In an interview after the rally, GT Thompson, Centre County's Republican Party chairman, said he supported the College Republicans' plans.

"It's a very timely and important issue that is receiving a tremendous amount of attention, and for the Penn State College Republicans to address that is relevant and appropriate," Thompson said.