Trisha Chatterjee, an Indian-origin immigration lawyer in Ohio, has alleged she was given the number of a Taco Bell outlet when she called ICE for urgent client support. Chatterjee posted about the incident on TikTok, where it went viral and ultimately led to help from another ICE official. But she says the larger issue lack of clear access to immigration authorities continues to cause serious harm to her clients.“I called and they answered and they said, ‘Hello, Taco Bell?’ And I said, ‘Taco Bell?’ And the guy who was working said, ‘Yeah, Taco Bell. Ma’am, you called me,” Chatterjee recalled.“I was in such disbelief,” she said. “So, I called the ICE officer back, just really frustrated with what had just happened. He says, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I was trying to lighten the mood and make you laugh.'”ICE has denied the accusation. Homeland security called it a “lie and a smear.” Chatterjee stood by her version of events.
Who is Trisha Chatterjee?
- Trisha Chatterjee is an Indian-origin immigration lawyer based in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from Miami University in 2020 and the University of Dayton School of Law in 2023.
- She works with the law office of Emily Feliz Garcia, a small immigration firm in Springdale. Before this, she worked at Abdallah law offices.
- For the last two years, she has handled immigration cases, especially those involving clients detained at the Butler County Jail in Ohio, which has a contract with ICE.
- Chatterjee was trying to submit “stay of removal” applications—urgent paperwork that can pause deportation for clients with pending immigration cases. ICE requires these to be submitted in person at the Detroit field office, but she hoped to file them locally in Blue Ash.
- After being unable to reach anyone by phone or email, she finally spoke to an ICE officer who gave her a phone number that turned out to be for Taco Bell. When she called back, the officer reportedly said he was trying to make her laugh.
- She posted a video about the incident on TikTok, which gained over 38,000 views. Many users sympathised, and one even helped her connect with a helpful ICE official in Blue Ash, who is now assisting her.
- Chatterjee said the larger problem is the lack of access and communication with ICE. She also highlighted how a stricter bond policy is making it harder for immigrants to stay out of detention during legal proceedings. Bonds can cost up to $50,000 and must be paid upfront.
- According to Chatterjee, some clients are abandoning their asylum cases or choosing to self-deport out of fear. She mentioned recent local arrests of people attending ICE check-ins, which has only deepened anxiety in immigrant communities.