AZ students raise money to supply illegal border-crossers

A group of Northern Arizona University students has partnered with a local humanitarian organization known as “No More Deaths” to bring aid to illegal immigrants crossing the border.

According to a GoFundMe page for the trip, the students will “walk miles through remote corridors into which migration has been pushed, leaving water, food, socks, blankets, and other supplies” for immigrants crossing the border illegally.

[RELATED: UC system pledges $25 million for illegal-immigrant scholarships]

“Your help will fund these resources directly set out on migrant paths as well as provide support to our volunteers,” the group explains in its crowdfunding effort, which at press time had raised $470 out of its target goal of $500.

Notably, No More Deaths (a.k.a., No Mas Muertes) was listed as an official student organization for the 2016-2017 academic year, meaning it is eligible to request funding from student government and reserve space on campus, though organizers claim that the border trip is being funded entirely through donations and fundraising events.

“Although they are people of another nationality, they’re still human beings,” the organization’s vice president, Vanessa Savel told 12 News. “We can’t just, like, ignore this whole issue.”

Savel did stipulate that while students will be providing illegal immigrants with resources, they will not participate in any illegal activity themselves, such as “transporting a migrant or directly telling them where to go.”

[RELATED: NAU profs label Trump a ‘nea-fascist,’ ‘rapist-in-chief’]

The No More Deaths parent organization is based out of southern Arizona, where it “maintains a year-round humanitarian presence in the deserts” through its “Aid in the Desert” initiative.

In addition to leaving food, water, and other supplies along routes frequented by illegal immigrants, the group notes that “volunteers provide emergency first-aid treatment to individuals in distress” under the direction of a medical team, though this aspect of the project is not mentioned by the NAU chapter.

Campus Reform reached out to the university for more information on its involvement in the trip, and is currently awaiting a response.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @AGockowski