The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused an immigration attorney of “lying for likes” after she posted a viral TikTok video alleging that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official gave her the phone number of a Taco Bell when she called seeking help for a detained client.
Trisha Chatterjee, an Ohio-based immigration lawyer, shared the video last week, describing her frustration after days of trying to reach ICE. When she finally got through, she said, she was stunned to be referred to the popular fast-food restaurant. DHS later issued a public statement on X denying the incident and calling her account a fabrication.
“It’s just kind of crazy to me that that was their first thought, that I lied for likes. And more than that, how can they deny that this happened or that it was a lie when I’ve done everything I can to protect the identity of the officer. I’ve never said his name,” Chatterjee told Newsweek in an interview on Tuesday.
Why It Matters
ICE has been at the forefront of the national conversation surrounding immigration policy. The agency is responsible for enforcing immigration laws, including detaining and deporting migrants without legal status.
ICE’s enforcement activities are being heavily scrutinized after President Donald Trump directed the agency to ramp up immigration arrests as he looks to fulfill his pledge of mass deportations.
What To Know
In her TikTok video, Chatterjee detailed how she had been trying to get in touch with ICE “for days” regarding clients who she said were “inmates at the Butler County Jail,” and how relieved she was to “finally” get through to someone who gave her a number to call.
At the end of the video though, which now has more than 52,000 views on TikTok, the attorney reveals the number was for a Taco Bell.
“For the very first time, finally somebody answered me and I was genuinely so excited to have somebody who was going to help us and give us some information,” she told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “So, to get a Taco Bell phone number instead was definitely disheartening.”
“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.”
The attorney said that she called the Taco Bell in Cincinnati at 10:58 on July 23. Newsweek requested access to call logs, but the law firm declined to provide them.
The video quickly spread across social media platforms, drawing both disbelief and sympathy. However, DHS quickly responded on social media, denying the claim.
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the allegations were a “lie and smear.”
“After she posted the video, ICE even attempted to reach out to her to get her information on her clients. She was provided several avenues to directly contact ICE and help resolve any issues, but she has made no attempt to contact the agency,” McLaughlin told Newsweek.
AP, Trisha Chatterjee
Chatterjee, however, disputes that claim.
“They say at the end of the tweet that they’ve reached out to me. I’m looking at my inbox right now. I still have five unanswered emails to the ICE officers. We haven’t gotten any calls, no voicemails. They haven’t contacted us,” she told Newsweek.
Despite the pushback, Chatterjee said the experience has been unexpectedly overwhelming. “I didn’t expect nearly what happened here, right? I mean, I was expecting maybe my TikTok went a little viral. I never expected this kind of a big response. So it’s definitely been overwhelming.”
Chatterjee said a woman who saw her TikTok reached out in the comments, offering help. The woman explained that she lived in the area and that her boyfriend, an assistant director at ICE, had seen the video and wanted to assist. According to Chatterjee, he provided his contact details and was instrumental in answering her questions and helping her navigate the situation.
Newsweek requested information on the ICE officials with whom Chatterjee was interacting during the initial call and the subsequent aftermath. However, she declined to share the information.
“I don’t want [the official who shared the Taco Bell number] to get in trouble. I mean, his comment when I called back was, he was like ‘I was just trying to make you laugh and lighten the mood.'”
“There are plenty of ICE officers who I have that relationship with, who, if they did that, I would laugh. I have a sense of humor,” she said.
“You make your own conclusions about why they picked a Mexican restaurant and not like a Chili’s, but I think that maybe he was just ordering lunch and he thought this would be funny,” she added.
While DHS continues to stand by its statement, Chatterjee said she remains focused on helping her clients.
“I feel like the tweet is misleading, and makes it seem like I’m just even doing my job for likes. And that’s just not true. I do it for the love of the work. And I do it for the love of my clients.”