The barista who wrote on offensive joke on the coffee cup of a Hispanic customer at a Starbucks in Texas has been fired, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.
Target confirmed that the employee, who worked at the Starbucks inside one of its Irving locations, was ‘terminated’ after the incident, which made national headlines.
‘We apologize for this incident and, upon an investigation, have terminated this team member’s employment,’ a Target spokesman told Daily Mail.
Blanca Lopez had been shopping with her two daughters on June 23 when she ordered an horchata latte and noticed writing on the lid.
‘What do you call a sick eagle? Illegal,’ the message said.
Lopez, an immigrant, did not know if it was meant as a joke, but she felt like it was a direct attack on her.
‘It’s basically saying that we are sick, illegal individuals that do not belong in this country,’ she told the Dallas CBS station.
‘Why did they call me that? Why are they asking if I have papers or no papers? Why did she write this? For me, like, it’s offensive.’
The remark hit especially hard given she knows people close to her have been recently deported, she told the outlet.
‘Basically saying we don’t belong.’
Lopez immediately went to a store manager.
‘I showed them the cup and they said, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I apologize and I’m going to talk to the team so they don’t do it again,”‘ she recalled.
‘I work as a manager. If someone on my team did something like that, I would fire her immediately. Words matter.’
Starbucks and Target both issued statements at the time saying they were investigating the incident involving the employee who represents both major brands.
However the coffee giant licenses its name to Target, making its drink makers Target staffers.
Target did not disclose any information about the fired staffer, however, Lopez told the local station it was a female employee.
‘We want everyone in our stores to be treated with courtesy and respect; we apologize and are actively investigating and addressing this,’ Target said in a statement.
Starbucks added it has a ‘zero-tolerance policy for discriminatory behavior.’
Despite the mea culpa, the location where the racist message was written faced protests organized by Hispanic community leader Carlos Quintanilla this past weekend.
‘It’s not just inappropriate, it’s disturbing,’ Quintanilla told CBS. ‘Especially right now, when the narrative being thrown out in mass media is if you’re illegal, you’re a criminal, and if you’re a criminal, you’re illegal.’
This comes as President Donald Trump ramps up deportation efforts by carrying out a key campaign promise to stage the largest such push in US history.
Arrests by ICE have spiked under Trump, doubling in 38 states, according to the New York Times.
In Texas, at least 20,000 migrants have been taken into detention from the time Trump took office in January through June 10.
However, the crackdown has also unfairly targeted Hispanics who are in the US legally, including citizens and legal residents.
More than a dozen Americans have been arrested under Trump’s administration, according to the Washington Post.