Technically, ICE has become the Number 1 enemy of the United States, at least for those opposing the Trump Administration. Unfortunately, there are ICE supporters out there, but the last place you’d expect to find one would be in the Kpop fandom. Texas-born celebrity Lara Rajagopalan, from the idol group KATSEYE, is making rounds on the internet, and it isn’t because of her singing or dancing talents. Reportedly, a Kpop fan has reported Lara to ICE, calling her “an illegal alien” who “has not obtained the necessary visa or legal status required to remain in the US.”
While her ethnicity is Indian, Lara is a US citizen born in Dallas and raised in LA, so reporting her under the speculation she’s an illegal immigrant is incorrect. That being said, the person who made the report is likely a troll, hater, or simply upset with Lara due to her skin color or ethnicity as a Kpop star. Unfortunately, this hateful individual wouldn’t be the first, as Reddit reports that many said her “skin looks like mud” and named her “Jafar” for fun. One user points out that the whole point of KATSEYE is to be very multicultural and inclusive. So it’s anyone’s guess why a Kpop fan would care about the group if they hate “brown skin” so much.
“Nothing Kpop fans do surprises me anymore,” another Redditor remarks, saying that many are “incredibly racist.” “Just regular racism, you know, the foundation of America,” another comment reads. And they wouldn’t be wrong, as racism has been an issue in the US since its inception. It’s only that, as of late, the current presidency and its ICE lackeys promote racism among the population, supporting the disdain against anyone who fits the bill of ‘looking like an illegal immigrant.’ So, the hate against an Indian-American like Lara is anything but uncommon, but the report made to ICE was certainly uncalled for.
Fortunately, plenty of online users have come to Lara’s defense, supporting her in the whole fiasco with the ICE report. This sort of behavior won’t stop with Lara, though. Until the current administration is out of commission and the country is put back into balance, bigotry, racism, transphobia, and more problems will run rampant across the populace. Although there is much criticism to be had on the riots in LA and elsewhere, the fact that protests are happening at all should be clear evidence that people want reform and are sick of ICE treating people less than humans.
Still, regardless of the lofty dreams or goals Lara had when joining KATSEYE, she probably was in the know of how toxic and racist the Kpop community can be. Of course, that isn’t to say she is at fault for being reported to ICE or being hated for her skin color. But hopefully, she was mentally prepared for something like this to happen, especially in this day and age.
