An otherwise peaceful day at a Target parking lot in Goleta, California, was disturbed by a rather angry old man who apparently harassed several people for speaking a language other than English. The old man even took it a step further and actually called ICE on people who weren’t speaking English, leading to a confrontation and further threats:
The incident took place on August 23 in a Goleta, California, branch of Target. It was also uploaded by TikTok user Debra Monique, aka debramonique805, who also cautioned people all over the internet about the area because the man was harassing multiple people. According to debramonique805:
“This man was harassing multiple people for not speaking English and his remarks kept getting worse, he did in fact call ICE and had the phone on speaker, please be cautious of this man”
It also appears the old man was unfazed by the camera and being recorded for what people in the comment section deemed a hate crime. After all, the old man was judging people and trying to have them imprisoned or deported based on the language they spoke. It’s not clear what happened afterward or if ICE really did respond to the old man’s call, but so far, TikTok user debramonique805 hasn’t provided an update to the situation, and hopefully, they got home safely.
With that said, people near the area were worried because, according to the TikTok user, the old man who harassed people who don’t speak English lived in an RV in the Target parking lot. He likely would be there to keep doing what he does to people of color until the establishment does something about it.
People Online are Blaming the Current Administration
Viewers were quick to blame the current US administration for something that is now appearing to be increasingly common these days: angry racists with ICE on their speed dial. The incident at Golet is not exactly isolated, and many other instances of people threatening to call ICE on a Brown person or anyone who speaks Spanish in the US have gradually been popping up.
“This is what happens when you embolden racists,” surmises a Reddit user
“They have an online reporting form and a tip line actually,” reveals another
“Iโm calling ICE has become Maggats version of ‘Iโm telling on you!’.”
However, I’d say that people like that old man likely existed even before being racist or xenophobic became incentivized, and perhaps the increased activity of ICE and the Trump administration gave him the courage. For the record, ICE does have a hotline, website, and even ads that encourage people to either join up or report individuals or people they’d presumably deport.
Funnily enough, the town in which the old man was being racist is of Spanish/Mexican origins. As one Reddit user pointed out, “The irony is that Goleta is a Spanish town named after the Spanish word for small ship,” and it turns out the racist old man was speaking Spanish himself by saying Goleta.
