“You don’t belong in this development,” the man shouts.
3 min read
A federal employee was put on leave after he was seen in a video shouting at three teens in a Florida neighborhood and telling one, who is black, that she doesn’t “belong” there. A Homeland Security official confirmed to ABC News on Friday that the man is employed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The video begins with the man in the street, pointing at the girls and asking for their names.
“You don’t belong in this development,” the man, who is white, says in a video posted by the Palm Beach Post and circulated widely online.
The girl seen in the video goes inside to get help as the man walks back and forth across the street of the Wellington gated community.
Soon after, Tony Nelson, the girl’s grandfather, walks down the driveway to confront the man. Nelson later said he was “shocked” by the man’s aggressive behavior in the video.
Reached over the phone by ABC News, Nelson said he wasn’t immediately ready to accept an apology.
“It’s going to take time and he’s not going to be forgiven until we see some action in our community,” he said. “We have a long way to go.”
A statement from USCIS on Thursday said the agency was investigating the video and described it as “certainly disturbing.”
Joseph Edlow, USCIS deputy director for policy, said in a statement the man was put on administrative leave following the incident.
“USCIS does not condone the use of offensive and intimidating language and agency employees are expected to act professionally both at work and in the community,” Edlow said. “I also want to assure you that the position held by this individual is administrative in nature. He was not responsible for adjudicating cases for immigration benefits or status.”
