By Barb Shelly, Kansas City Star editorial page columnist

Kansas's own Kris W. Kobach makes the New York Times today.

Kobach, a University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor and, until recently, Kansas Republican Party chairman, is making a name for himself by acting as the legal advocate for communities trying to enforce ordinances aimed at denying services to illegal immigrants.

Kobach says in the story that his work is motivated by his time as an assistant in John Ashcroft's Justice Department, when he became aware that some of the 911 hijackers were illegal immigrants.

Personally, I think it's a leap from protecting the nation's security to trying to deny in-state college tuition to the children of undocumented immigrants, who may have lived in this country nearly all of their lives. That was Kobach's big push in Kansas. So far, he's been unsuccessful.

The irony is that the nation may be less safe if Kobach succeeds in enabling communities to deny services to illegal immigrants. Crime and terrorism thrive in hostile conditions.

And just from a practical point of view, the Times article, by Julia Preston, says that Kobach is becoming the "leading legal advocate" for communities trying to crack down on illegal immigrants.

Kobach, an energetic sort, has also announced he's a candidate for Kansas secretary of state. If he wins, will he turn that post into a part-time job as he pursues his growing legal business?

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