Small Business Owner Faces Backlash Over Anti-Immigrant Post

Daniel Keene didn’t anticipate that sharing his thoughts on social media would stir up such chaos in his life.

The owner of a small business posted a video highlighting an Indian block party that took over streets in northern Texas, voicing his discomfort with the rapid demographic and cultural shifts occurring in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

In a now-deleted post, he expressed, “We have to cancel the H-1B. I want my kids to grow up in America, not India.”

His remarks quickly went viral, leading to significant unrest. Reports suggest that Keene and his family were targeted, with personal information revealed, threats made, and his business facing severe backlash, including damaging reviews. Allegations even surfaced about someone attempting to extort $20,000 from him under the claim of having access to a large Indian American network.

Keene’s establishment, Boundary’s Coffee, has faced a storm of negative impact, culminating in Google suspending its reviews to contain the wave of hostile comments.

The repercussions extended far beyond his business. In the midst of navigating these challenges, the owner of his gym opted to revoke his membership. A text from Ken Williams, the owner of CrossFit Prosper, claimed that Keene’s public stance didn’t reflect their community values centered around inclusion and respect, stating they would terminate his membership immediately.

Keene was taken aback, as Williams had not addressed any issues during his visits to the gym. “He didn’t say anything directly to me,” Keene recalled. “There didn’t seem to be any conflict.”

When cancelling, Williams emphasized that the gym’s community, largely Indian, valued inclusivity deeply, and his statements could affect their culture. CrossFit Prosper promotes itself as an LGBTQ+-friendly business.

As if things couldn’t get worse, Keene’s church, Trails Church, confronted him about his views on immigration. Church elders expressed concerns over his original post, urging him to repent for what they deemed uncharitable comments. Even after deleting the post to alleviate family stress, Keene stood firm on his immigration stance, particularly regarding H-1B visas.

The church matters escalated quickly. Keene shared that he and his pregnant wife were called to a meeting with several church elders, who brought up concerns from the last three years regarding his posts, picking two that they felt were alarming.

Keene described the meeting as bewildering. “The goalposts shifted significantly,” he said, noting that when he sought clarity about his supposed infractions, the elders seemed to imply it wasn’t just his viewpoint but how he articulated it. Yet, their message remained vague.

In an effort for transparency, Keene asked the elders for written documentation of his violations, which they declined to provide. Expressing his bewilderment, he attempted to reach out to any congregant discomforted by his posts, but this overture did not satisfy the elders.

He indicated their desire was for him to renounce his positions on Indian immigrants, which he couldn’t agree to. “As far as content, I support it. That’s the policy position I support.”

When Keene inquired about the severity of the situation, the elders replied he was on a “path of discipline,” hinting at possible removal from the church if he did not change his ways. Such removal, he noted, was a serious matter in Baptist circles.

“They essentially told me, ‘You don’t repent, so I don’t think you’re a Christian anymore,’” he expressed.

Keene left the meeting feeling lost. Shortly thereafter, a friend sent him a link to a podcast episode discussing immigration and H-1B visas, which he found enlightening. After posting that clip, he questioned whether the church elders were more troubled by his immigration views than a significant doctrinal issue.

While aware his post would provoke a reaction, Keene initially tried contacting the church leaders directly. However, upon sharing the clip, he was asked to attend another meeting alongside his wife, which he resisted. “Why do I need to meet with my wife? What does she have to do with this?” he pondered.

In the end, the elders formally asked Keene to leave the church. He suspected his shared podcast episode contributed to their decision. “I knew I was poking the bear a bit,” he admitted.

Regardless of the turmoil, Keene stands by his choices. “I’ve been trying to get to the root of the issue here. What are your church values? Is it doctrinal, Biblical? Or is it just about public policy related to immigration?”

Trails Church has not responded to requests for comments regarding this situation.