Fake signs and stickers around Seattle claim to offer rewards for turning in immigrants who are in the country illegally.
Federal officials told KIRO-TV the signs and reward offers are bogus.
Leaders don’t know who posted the signs and stickers, but Seattle Civil Rights Attorney Darryl Parker said it’s already striking fear in local immigrants.
“We've gotten calls from Muslim females who wear the hijab, and they're very concerned it identifies them as an immigrant,” Parker said.
The signs and stickers are illegal under Seattle signage guidelines. The city is in the process of removing them.
"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) does not offer monetary rewards for information pertaining to illegal immigrants. ICE accepts tips related to criminal investigations to include offenses related to human trafficking, antiquities smuggling, child pornography and money laundering," ICE said in a statement to KIRO-TV.
No matter the intention of the creator, Parker said signs like this only further a divide in the country.
“The fact that somebody calls them an illegal alien or immigrant, it makes them feel like another, it makes them feel like they're not part of society,” Parker said.
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