MTA Sees Something, Says Something: Stop Using Our Slogan

NEW YORK CITY — If you see something, say something, just make sure it's not an MTA trademarked slogan.

A Buffalo clerk received a cease and desist letter Tuesday after he used the MTA's counterterrorism message to urge New Yorkers to report immigrants to U.S. Immigration officials.

“Your above use of MTA’s registered trademark 'If you See Something Say Something' is not authorized by MTA," the letter reads. "Please note that, if you should request authorization for the above use, the request would be denied."

Erie County clerk Michael Kearns planned to post the phrase, and the Homeland Security Investigations tip line telephone number, in local auto bureaus, according to Capital Tonight reporter Ryan Whalen.

As Whalen noted in his Dec. 5 tweet, New York's Green Light law prohibits Department of Motor Vehicle workers from reporting driver's license seekers to federal authorities.

Kearns has publicly criticized the law, which he argues would make New York less safe.

It was the first half of the message that spurred MTA marketing director Mark Heavey to urge the clerk to take down the signs.

The "see something" slogan was trademarked in 2010 to encourage commuters to report acts of terrorism and not undocumented New Yorkers, Heavey explained.

Kearns was given until 5 p.m. Tuesday to confirm via email that the he would not use the federally trademarked slogan, Kearns said.

"Your unauthorized use of the mark is in support of encouraging people to report suspected undocumented immigrants," Heavey wrote. "This is both abhorrent and unrelated to counterterrorism."

Patch called the Erie County Clerk's office at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday to request comment, but was told Kearns had left for the day.