BROCKTON – Brockton State Rep. Michelle DuBois blamed “the alt-right” for the backlash that came pouring in from across the country after she warned undocumented immigrants about a supposed raid that never took place in the city on Wednesday.

Then, she set up a political fundraiser using PayPal to generate campaign contributions in light of the national controversy sparked by her immigration raid warning.

Now, a Beacon Hill watchdog group says the Brockton Democrat will have to return those donations because she didn’t follow state campaign finance law and availed herself of an “illegal advantage” when setting up the online fundraiser.

“It seems like Rep. Dubois is kind of basking in the 15 minutes of fame that she’s getting and trying to enrich her campaign for it, but in a rushed, hastily put together attempt, she is in violation of state campaign finance law,” said Paul Craney, executive director of the Boston-based Mass Fiscal Alliance. “We all have to follow by the same rules, and so should legislators.”

After sparking a national controversy for sharing a message warning for undocumented immigrants to “stay off the streets” on Wednesday after she heard about rumored plans of a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in the city, DuBois established a PayPal fundraiser.

“Donating to the Committee to Elect Michelle DuBois is one way you can help average people have a voice and a champion at the state house,” said a post, released on her Facebook page. “Please share this appeal with other justice and equality loving people. We have seen the alt-right's national attack campaign against Michelle and we need to help her fight back.”

The full Facebook post can be seen at the bottom of the story.

However, Craney said, the online PayPal fundraiser does not contain the state-required questions about the contributor's identity, occupation and employer. Craney said that lawful campaign donation drives in Massachusetts must also include a certification that the person donating is 18 years old or older, that they are who they say they are, and that they are using their own personal funds as the source of the contribution, which the DuBois committee PayPal site does not include.

“It appears Rep. DuBois’ PayPal site is in violation of both requirements,” said Craney, in a complaint filed with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. “Such contributions must be returned as part of restitution, as the monies constitute an illegal advantage.”

DuBois told The Enterprise that she will await the outcome of the complaint before taking any corrective action.

"I will comply with any and all decisions of OCPF," DuBois said in an email. "We will see what they say."

DuBois later told The Enterprise that, as of 4 p.m. on Thursday, she has raised about $500 since the ICE raid rumor controversy started.

DuBois said she already spoke to an OCPF representative, and pledged to be “100 percent” in compliance. DuBois said she will accomplish this without having to return any donations.

“If there's any issues they bring up, it will be corrected ASAP,” she said.

Craney pointed to a case involving a PayPal set up for state Rep. Keiko Orrall, R-Lakeville, in 2011, when the Office of Campaign and Political Finance ruled that some of her election committee contributions had to be returned because the web page didn’t contain a certification that the contributor’s personal funds were the source of the donation. Orrall was given about month to either obtain the certifications from contributors or return the funds.

“Fast forward to today and it looks like we’re repeating the same mistakes of 2011,” Craney told The Enterprise. “DuBois should get in compliance with state campaign finance law if she’s trying to go solicit money right now. It’s not very hard to figure this out, but in the meantime she’s soliciting these online contributions, trying to ride a wave in the press. It appears these contributions are not in compliance with campaign finance law.”

DuBois said that in the Orrall case, the Lakeville Republican was able to get all the information required in order to keep the campaign contributions.

“I already started emailing every person who donated to me,” DuBois said. “Before I take further donations, I want to make sure that that affirmative action is in place. I want to be in total compliance.”