ABC Not "Accessory" For Advising Immigrants

WASHINGTON - Jan. 23, 2025 - PRLog -- The decision by ABC7 in Chicago to permit Hispanic community activists to explain to illegal immigrants that they have a legal right in many circumstances mot to admit ICE agents into their homes does not constitute aiding and abetting criminal behavior, nor does it make them accessories to crime, as some are suggesting.  See, e.g:

ABC News Under Fire For Segment Showing Illegals How To Avoid ICE (https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/abc-news-under-fire-for-segment-showing-illegals-how-to-avoid-ice-mstef/?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email)  -"ABC7 in Chicago is taking heavy fire online after a Tuesday night broadcast where field reporter Michelle Gallardo spoke with Hispanic community activists who were given airtime to advise illegal immigrants to not open their doors for U.S. Customs and Immigration officers if they come knocking. The coverage drew a swift rebuke as commentators accused the ABC affiliate of aiding and abetting criminal behavior. . . .  Doesn't this make her an accessory? " [emphasis added]

Nonsense, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf. noting that even terrorists, mass murderers, crime bosses, and others who have done far more than simply sneak into the U.S. have a right not to talk with any law enforcement officials - and they are always advised of this right, not only by their lawyers, but also by the police at the time they are arrested.

Indeed, Banzhaf was critical of those offering this advice to illegals because it did not go far enough.  Here's what he wrote in 2019 about a very similar circumstance in:
Protecting Legal Rights In ICE's New Deportation Raids Advocacy Groups Might Do More, Including Providing Additional Advice (https://www.prlog.org/12776087-protecting-legal-rights-in...)

So simply putting up posters reading 'DON'T OPEN FOR ICE," as some groups are reportedly doing in Chicago, is not likely to be very effective by itself, says Banzhaf, especially if ICE agents misrepresent themselves or their legal authority, says Banzhaf who provided very similar advice in 2020:
ICE Raids Begin Sunday, But Targets Are Getting Dangerous Advice (https://www.valuewalk.com/ice-raids-dangerous-advice-arre...)

And he adds, simply advising people of their rights, and how to effectively protect them, doesn't make me an accessory to a crime, or aiding and abetting in its commission.

http://banzhaf.net/ jbanzhaf3ATgmail.com @profbanzhaf