A viral video shows Francesca Ortega confronting a taco vendor in Santa Clarita and threatening to call ICE, drawing more than 1.4 million views and sharp online criticism. Ortega says the social-media backlash destroyed reviews for her small cleaning business, Excellence Cleaning Pros, and that her family has been harassed. She admitted changing her business phone number on Google, causing a stranger to receive unwanted calls, and says she fears for her safety. Local reports say the vendor reportedly held the required city permits.
Viral Video: Woman Who Threatened to Call ICE on Taco Vendor Says Backlash 'Ruined' Her Business
Screenshot via @LongTimeHistory/X
A viral video from Santa Clarita, California, shows Francesca Ortega confronting a taco vendor and threatening to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), sparking widespread online backlash after the clip amassed more than 1.4 million views.
What Happened
The footage was first posted on TikTok by Dre Torres (@dretorres818) and later shared on X by @LongTimeHistory. In the video, Ortega can be seen filming a vendor working on Pico Canyon Road while shouting and insulting the vendor in Spanish. Reportedly, Ortega said, "Stinky old woman, I'm going to call ICE," and used other derogatory language. Local reporting indicates the vendor held the permits required by the City of Santa Clarita.
Public Reaction
Viewers overwhelmingly sided with the vendor, expressing disbelief that a Hispanic person would threaten another Hispanic with immigration enforcement. Many commenters also criticized Ortega for apparently leaving a small child in a stroller unattended during the incident and urged others to consider contacting child welfare authorities.
Aftermath
Ortega told reporters she has been flooded with hostile messages and negative reviews that she says severely damaged her small cleaning business, Excellence Cleaning Pros. She said her family has faced online harassment and threats, and she expressed fear that her address may have been doxxed. Ortega reportedly admitted to changing her business's Google phone number to that of a stranger, Ricardo Morales, after receiving a harsh message; Morales then received calls and texts intended for Ortega and publicly condemned her actions.
"They are threatening me. I'm afraid to go outside," Ortega said, adding that she did not intend to be hurtful and that people sometimes say ugly things when upset. Ortega also said the vendor photographed her license plate, which she described as a trigger for her reaction.
Ortega has described herself as having grown up in Mexico and said she confronted the vendor because she feared Santa Clarita was changing in ways she disliked. Local news reports note that sidewalk vending in Santa Clarita generally requires permits and that the vendor in the video was reportedly permitted.
Note: This article summarizes video content and reporting from social media and local outlets. Quotes and descriptions are presented as reported by those sources.
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