Woman Apologizes After Calling Taco Vendor ‘Stinky Old Woman’ and Threatening to Call ICE

A viral video showing a California business owner threatening to call ICE on a street taco vendor has since sparked a wave of backlash, one she says is now tearing apart the company she spent a decade building.

Francesca Ortega — dubbed the “Santa Clarita Karen” online — appeared to address the backlash after the viral video showed her insulting the vendor and threatening to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The New York Post reported Monday, September 28, that an Instagram account called “Francesca’s Final Words” shared her response earlier this week.

Fox 11 Los Angeles reported on September 23 that Ortega told the vendor in Spanish, “Vieja jedionda, les voy a llamar a ICE,” which translates to, “Stinky old woman, I’m going to call ICE.”

Ortega addressed the backlash in a video, saying she had been frustrated with street vending and did not realize how strongly her mention of ICE would be received.

“I’m not who they are portraying on that video. That video was taken out of context,” Ortega said, while acknowledging that her behavior “was not acceptable.”

“I didn’t know the seriousness that would be taken to mention the word ICE,” she said in the video. “I now understand the full weight it has and how sensitive people are to that, and I am sorry. I’m truly sorry.”

The pregnant business owner also blamed the exchange on anger and impulsiveness.

“I don’t know what happens to me when I’m pregnant,” Ortega said. “I say a lot of stupid [expletive].”

Ortega said the backlash has since reached her home-cleaning business, with negative reviews piling up and employees losing work.

“My employees have bills to pay, they need to work,” she said. “They can’t just be losing hours because people are angry at me.”

She added, “Now all of my livelihood is ruined. The business that I worked so hard to build for 10 years.”

The controversy took another turn when a man named Ricardo Morales told Fox 11 that Ortega changed her company’s listed Google phone number to his after he criticized her online.

“It’s crazy to think that somebody can be that extremely vindictive and now won’t own up to their actions,” Morales said.

Amid Morales’ revelation, the apology video drew severe backlash, with social media users largely unconvinced by Ortega’s explanation.

One wrote: “The harasser doesn’t like being harassed? Go figure 🙄 And you’re upset about your family’s life being disrupted? What do you think about the taco stands family if you had actually called ICE? Get a grip!”

Another added, “Hopefully, this teaches her some humility. Because the reality is, the same people telling her they don’t want those Latino street vendors here may not see her as any different. She spent all that energy trying to prove that someone else didn’t belong, without realizing that the people she was trying to impress may not think she belongs either.”

“These vendors also have babies and families that they are trying to support. U think they enjoy being harassed for selling in the street?” another wrote.

“Lmao out of context. She’s not sorry she did it. She’s just upset about the consequences,” someone else added.

Another shared, “Taken out of context but she’s literally threatening to call ice on a family and calling them all sorts of names right🤔.”

Not every comment was purely critical. “You need to go to them directly and apologize for your actions be sincere take the lady some flowers and chocolates and buy some tacos we all can get along in this community that we all strive for freedom everyone out here struggling🙏🏼,” one person wrote.