Letter to Andrew G. McCabe, Acting Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation - fraudulent documentation from Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Letter

Dear Acting Director McCabe:

I write today to ask the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate a serious incident involving fraudulent documents purporting to come from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The fliers--which bore the seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and looked official to residents--appeared on telephone poles and bus stops in the District of Columbia. The fliers featured the heading "SANCTUARY CITY NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC NOTICE," and encouraged residents to report suspected undocumented immigrants or people suspected of "harboring" undocumented immigrants by calling a toll-free number. ICE later confirmed that these fliers were fake.

I believe that whoever created and posted these fliers did so in violation of several federal laws. Title 18, § 912 of the U.S. Code states that "whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States or any department, agency or officer thereof, and acts as such … shall be fined … or imprisoned not more than three years, or both." Additionally, 18 U.S. Code § 506 makes it a crime to "falsely make, forge, counterfeit, mutilate, or alter the seal of any department or agency of the United States, or any facsimile thereof" and prohibits affixing a fraudulent seal "upon any certificate, instrument, commission, document, or paper of any description."

The fake fliers were clearly designed to convey the impression of authenticity, and I believe they were posted in order to target and intimidate immigrants and their families living in the District. D.C. is a city that welcomes and provides sanctuary to people from all over the world, and we believe a federal investigation to determine who is responsible is fully warranted.

Sincerely,

Source