Immigrant guide on raids, deportations stirs debate

Pamphlet advises students of their rights; some authorities say it’s too one-sided

By J. Harry Jones and Morgan Lee

Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 10:40 p.m.

The first page of the immigrant-rights guide produced by CASA de Maryland.

A
countywide public school network for at-risk children is encouraging
teachers to address students’ concerns about immigration raids and
deportations — an effort that’s receiving mixed reviews from law
enforcement agencies.

Police are objecting to one key element: an
illustrated guide on how to protect yourself from raids by not saying
too much, not carrying certain documents and not signing forms without
consulting a lawyer.

The guide, which was distributed to teachers
and students at two recent events, depicts burly police officers in
sunglasses and fear-stricken immigrants in handcuffs who refuse to give
information before speaking to an attorney.

It includes a wallet-sized “know your rights” card.

The
guides were handed out in response to evidence that students from
families living illegally in the United States are having a hard time
concentrating on academics, said Mary Glover, executive director of
Juvenile Court & Community Schools.

“I thought long and hard
about it when I was approached by individuals who felt they needed some
help in getting to know what are the civil rights involved in this,”
said Glover, who oversees about 2,800 students — including foster
children, youths in juvenile hall and those at risk of dropping out —
enrolled in the system under the county Office of Education.

“My purpose is to educate staff so they can inform students of their civil rights,” she added.

The
guide is headlined, “WARNING! PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IMMIGRATION RAIDS!”
It provides several lists of do’s and don’ts for migrants who are
detained or receive a visit from immigration officials at home or in the
workplace. Among the advice to illegal immigrants:

•?Don’t lie. Don’t give false testimony.

•?Don’t give government officials information about your immigration status.

•?Don’t say anything, or say only: “I need to speak to my lawyer.”

•?Don’t carry papers from another country because the government can use this material in a deportation proceeding.

•?Stay calm and don’t run. These actions may be viewed as an admission that you have something to hide.

•
?Government officials may try to intimidate you or trick you into
signing documents. You may be signing away your right to a hearing
before an immigration judge.

•?You have the right to see a search warrant. Don’t open the door; ask authorities to slip the document underneath the door.

Escondido Police Chief Jim Maher said the guide presents a one-sided view of law enforcement and may trigger even more fear.

“It
astounds me that another governmental agency, the Office of Education,
would be giving out information that doesn’t give the whole picture.
It’s an example of not telling the whole truth,” Maher said. “It’s
inappropriate. I don’t think the pictures they used in that flier are
appropriate.”

The guide shows square-jawed white and
African-American agents leading away a mustachioed suspect, among other
images. The stylized sketches are reminiscent of hugely popular Mexican
“historieta” comic books. Mexico’s government has taken to printing
public service announcements, including legal and safety tips for
migrants, in comic-book format.

One drawing in the American guide
depicts an agent from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The
agency said last week that the guide offers good advice.

ICE spokeswoman Lauren Mack said the agency supports efforts to inform people about their legal rights.

“Generally
this pamphlet, which has been distributed in other major metropolitan
areas, offers sound and practical information about the enforcement
process,” she said. “For their part, our officers are trained to treat
those they encounter with dignity and respect, and we would hope that
cooperation and understanding are reciprocated.”

The guide was written by attorneys at CASA de Maryland, a nonprofit support group for Latino and immigrant communities.

Mauricio
López, a spokesman for the organization, said schools and other groups
as far away as Hawaii have requested the material.

“It reflects
clearly the fear that the immigrant community faces,” he said. “It was
because of these uncertainties and fear of abuse that these pamphlets
were drawn up by our legal department.”

Jim Esterbrooks, spokesman for the San Diego County Office of Education, defended the wording in the guide.

“There is nothing in here that is encouraging our children to break laws or be defiant,” he said.

Glover,
director of the alternative county school network, said teachers came
to her worried that some of their immigrant students couldn’t focus on
academics.

The experience of one teenage mother in particular convinced her of the need for teacher guidance.

“A
pregnant and parenting teen living with her family came home from
school and her parents were not there,” Glover said. “They had been
deported and she was the oldest of three siblings, plus she had her own
child. …

“So who does she call? She calls her teacher.”

Dawn
Miller, a teacher at Lindsay Community School in downtown San Diego,
which is part of Juvenile Court & Community Schools, said
immigration issues affect many of her students, yet there was a dearth
of information available to them about their rights.

“This is just
one more thing they’re having to deal with — the deportation of their
parents, their family, their friends,” said Miller, who makes the guide
available to her classes.

But Elizabeth Wells of Chula Vista, a
parent who describes herself as a political conservative opposed to
illegal immigration, said teachers shouldn’t get involved.

“The
instructors are very well-meaning, I’m sure,” Wells said. “What troubles
me is that by offering the guides, they’re sending a message that
illegal immigration is an acceptable thing. They become advocates for
people who are violating the law.”

Copies of the guide were handed
out during a Sept. 14 meeting attended by 60 teachers and staff members
and a few students at the county Office of Education’s offices in Linda
Vista. The group also was told about the website where the document
could be downloaded.

And the guide was distributed to students and
teachers at a meeting in June by a speaker who pushes for immigrant and
family rights.

That speaker was Benjamin Prado, a program
coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee of San Diego. He
believes public school teachers have an obligation to inform students
about their fundamental rights when confronted by law enforcement.

“Schools
have begun to see that this issue of immigration enforcement is tearing
families apart and is impacting the ability of students to concentrate
on their school work,” Prado said.

Prado wouldn’t describe his presentation, but said schools are a crucial venue for discussions about immigration enforcement.