Indian-origin immigration lawyer Trisha Chatterjee asks ICE for help; claims being directed to Taco Bell
The Indian-origin attorney claimed that she needed to figure out how best to submit paperwork for her clients detained at Butler County Jail. As per Chatterjee, she was met with days of no response, finally managing to get through to an ICE officer, who said he could give the phone number of someone who'd be able to help.
However, the number turned out to be of Taco Bell, Chatterjee claimed.
Speaking to The Enquirer, she said '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. So, to get a Taco Bell phone number instead was definitely disheartening.'
She shared the ordeal on TikTok, and Tricia McLaughlin, spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, denied her account on X, claiming Chatterjee's story was a lie and a smear. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also refuted Chatterjee's version of events on an X post.
What happened with ICE, as per Trisha Chatterjee?
Chatterjee, who has practiced immigration law in Greater Cincinnati and Dayton for two years, currently has eight clients in Butler County Jail. She wanted to submit a 'stay of removal' for some clients, which prevents the DHS from deporting immigrants actively pursuing legal status or humanitarian protection, or are challenging their removal order.
'We have a number of people who are detained right now who have cases pending before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or before the court,' the Indian-origin lawyer noted, adding, 'They've got immigration proceedings already pending.'
Since these applications have to be submitted in person at the regional ICE office, and for those in Ohio, that office happens to be in Detroit, Chatterjee was seeking other avenues through which she could possibly make the submission.
Reportedly, the lawyer sought responses from the Detroit office if she could make the submissions at the Blue Ash office, but got no response.
The number of the ICE agent she got from Butler County Jail connected her to someone who gave her another contact – the Taco Bell in Columbus, as per Chatterjee.
'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,' she recalled.
Notably, it's unclear if this was a one-off thing for the agent, or something he does repeatedly. Chatterjee felt it must be a prank he'd played before because of how fast he provided the number, but she did not know where the agent was based out of.
'I was in such disbelief. 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',' she said.
Reportedly, she asked for the agent's supervisor, who said a report into the matter would be filed, but the lawyer claimed she hasn't seen any such report.
What ICE, DHS said about the events?
McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson, said ICE '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.'
Who is Trisha Chatterjee?
Chatterjee is an Indian-origin lawyer who graduated from Miami University with a degree in Political Science and Government, followed by University of Dayton School of Law.
She speaks Spanish and Bengali, apart from English.
Chatterjee started her career as a Sales Associate at Charlotte Russe, before becoming a Summer Intern at Office of US Senator Sherrod Brown. She also held jobs at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc, as a summer associate, and David's Bridal, where she was a Customer Service Representative.
She has also been a legal intern at MI AECRES, Sales Associate at J Crew, been a law clerk at Bradley and Associates, and was an associate attorney at Flanagan Lieberman & Rambo. Chatterjee was an Associate Attorney at Abdallah Law Offices. Currently, she works for the Law Office of Emily Feliz Garcia, based out of Springdale.
After she posted her hurdle on TikTok, one individual connected her with the assistant field office director of the Blue Ash office, and the agent has reportedly connected with Trisha to help her with the stay of removal application submissions.
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