The Washington Times reports (hat tip: See-Dubya):

A Maryland-based immigrant-advocacy group is distributing guidebooks instructing those targeted by federal immigration agents during job-site raids not to cooperate with authorities if they are arrested or detained.

The eight-page, two-color illustrated book lists what rights “people who are not United States citizens” have if detained by immigration agents, details what to do if served with a warrant or charged with a crime, and urges them to remain silent if they are arrested.

The book also says they should refuse to provide authorities with any information about their immigration status.

Included in the book is a “Know Your Rights” card to be cut out and presented to arresting agents, showing that those detained choose to exercise their “right to remain silent, the right to refuse to answer your questions” and to “refuse to sign anything until I consult with my attorney.”

The book, which features cartoonlike drawings of armed black and white police officers escorting Hispanic men in handcuffs and shows babies crying because their fathers are behind bars, is the product of CASA of Maryland Inc., working with other organizations.

CASA of Maryland receives tax subsidies from the cities of Baltimore and Takoma Park, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, the state of Maryland, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“Any person who . . . encourages or induces an alien to . . . reside . . . knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such . . . residence is . . . in violation of law, shall be punished as provided . . . for each alien in respect to whom such a violation occurs . . . fined under title 18 . . . imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.”

Just FYI…Section 274 felonies under the federal Immigration and Nationality Act, INA 274A(a)(1)(A):

A person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:

* assists an alien s/he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment, or

* encourages that alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or

* knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions.

***

Chris Kelly blogged about the CASA pamphlets last month:

To a certain extent, this might not be that objectionable. After all, even illegal aliens are protected by various laws, and some of the advice in there applies to legal immigrants. However, as could be expected from the sources, they crank it up a few notches and reveal that their goal is helping illegal aliens stay here. Along the way, they feature cute graphics of big-eyed poor defenseless Hispanics being oppressed by law officers, all of whom appear to be either white or black.

And, there’s the section “Develop a safety plan”:

Talk with your co-workers to see if they are willing to make a collective decision that everyone - regardless of their immigration status - will remain silent and ask to speak with an attorney in the event of a workplace raid…

And, the “Reforma Migratoria” and “Opportunities for all” banners on the final page are a bit of a giveaway that their concerns involve helping illegal immigrants stay here rather than, for instance, encouraging them to return home.

Screenshots added above.

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