Lawyer Trisha Chatterjee, of Indian-American origin, instructed to Taco Bell, instead of ICE
In a bizarre turn of events, Indian-American immigration attorney Trisha Chatterjee found herself in a predicament when she tried to contact the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Detroit to submit stay requests for two of her detained clients. Instead of reaching an ICE official, she was connected to a Taco Bell restaurant in Columbus.
Chatterjee was exploring alternative ways to get the paperwork in due to the urgency of her clients' situations. The stay requests are a legal step that can stop deportations while individuals are seeking lawful status, humanitarian relief, or are in the middle of appealing their removal orders.
The stay requests needed to be submitted in person at the regional office, which for Ohio cases meant traveling to Detroit. However, her efforts to contact the ICE office in Detroit for submitting stay requests were initially unsuccessful.
After days of silence, Chatterjee received a call from an ICE agent who promised to connect her with someone who could help. The incident involving the misdirected call to a Taco Bell occurred on an unspecified date.
Following her TikTok post, an individual helped her connect with an assistant field office director who then assisted with her clients’ paperwork, indicating the matter was somewhat resolved after the public attention.
The Department of Homeland Security and ICE strongly denied Chatterjee's allegation, calling it false and a “lie and smear.” ICE Assistant Secretary Dept. of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin issued a public statement on social media, claiming that Chatterjee had been given a fast-food number and had ignored follow-up offers to help.
Chatterjee, who has been working as an immigration lawyer for the past two years, based in Cincinnati and Dayton, is currently representing eight detainees held at Butler County Jail. Her clients have immigration proceedings pending before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or before the court.
The incident has raised bigger questions about communication gaps and bureaucracy facing immigrants and those advocating for them. While the exact cause of the mix-up remains unclear, it serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by immigrants navigating the U.S. immigration system.
[1] Karn, R. (2023, August 10). ICE denies giving Taco Bell number to lawyer seeking stay requests. The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3756632-ice-denies-giving-taco-bell-number-to-lawyer-seeking-stay-requests/
[2] Apuzzo, M. (2023, August 12). Lawyer's TikTok video sparks ICE response in detainee case. Associated Press. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/immigration-ice-detention-lawsuit-ohio-cincinnati-dayton-90ac91f8d7927b18bbb6b4cb74406a94
[3] Karn, R. (2023, August 14). ICE says it reached out to lawyer after Taco Bell mix-up. The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3757281-ice-says-it-reached-out-to-lawyer-after-taco-bell-mix-up/
[5] ICE denies giving Taco Bell number to lawyer seeking stay requests. (2023, August 10). The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3756632-ice-denies-giving-taco-bell-number-to-lawyer-seeking-stay-requests/
- Amidst the general news of the misdirected call, a lawyer's pursuit for sports-like agility within the U.S. immigration system has been highlighted, as she faces challenges in justice and crime-related matters.
- In the realm of sports, the immigration attorney's determination to score points for her clients, despite bureaucratic hurdles, adds a touch of drama often reserved for competitive events.
