Texas Business Owner Faces Backlash Over Comments on Immigration

A small business owner in northern Texas is encountering significant backlash and threats following his remarks about the cultural changes brought by a substantial influx of Indian immigrants. The owner, Daniel Keene, faces various challenges that threaten his livelihood, including threatening emails.

Keene, who operates Boundary Coffee with two locations in the DFW Metroplex, shared a video on X showcasing a local block party in celebration of an Indian festival, noting that the streets were heavily congested with people and vehicles. In the caption, he stated, “I want my kids to grow up in America, not India.”

This post garnered rapid attention on X, leading him to receive hundreds of intimidating messages across calls, texts, and emails.

One particularly alarming threat read, “You’ll have to pay $20,000, or the game will start.” As a result, his business has been targeted with numerous fraudulent negative reviews and calls for public shaming directed at his staff and their families. Keene is now dealing with an onslaught of slurs, insults, and racially charged hostility from individuals who claim to be of Indian descent, both domestically and internationally.

In an interview, Keene expressed surprise at the scale of the attack, revealing that he deleted the original video due to the stress it caused his family.

Google has seen an alarming increase in negative reviews about his coffee shops, with many complaints focusing on issues unrelated to the drive-thru service, such as a perceived lack of cleanliness in the lobby.

“Review Bombing”—the practice of posting numerous questionable negative reviews on platforms like Google Maps—poses a significant risk to small businesses that depend on these mediums for new customers. Keene suspects these attacks are orchestrated by those connected to the Indian community.

The situation intensified on September 8 when someone, claiming to represent a vast network of Indian-Americans, sent an email that appeared to threaten Keene further. The email ominously warned, “We will blow up your business and profile to over 6 million Indian Americans. If they each leave negative reviews, it will ruin you. We have all the evidence on this.”

Aside from the threats to his business, Keene also reported receiving indecent messages targeting his pregnant wife and derogatory slurs against him. Comments on his business’s social media pages are laden with accusations of racism, death wishes, and graphic humiliation. Keene has faced increasing vitriol from users on X, taunting him about his comments.

One influencer even mocked Keene, stating, “I don’t think I can afford a house in that neighborhood,” promising that “the day of reckoning is not far away.” Screenshots of these posts were obtained by Blaze News.

In light of the severe backlash and its impact on his business, Keene has reiterated his stance on immigration, voicing growing concerns among Texans regarding the economic and cultural effects of Indian settlements in their communities.

“I have no racial hostility towards Indians,” he clarified, stating that he refrains from using racially charged language. His issues, he believes, stem from immigration policies that have altered the demographics of neighborhoods he knows well.

Keene remarked, “I just want to live on the streets of America… As an American, I feel that’s my right.”

Originally from South Lake and familiar with the changing demographics of the DFW area, Keene voiced frustrations over the growing presence of Indian immigrants, many of whom enter the country on H-1B or other work visas. He articulated a sense of dislocation, feeling that his community is being replaced.

The local area, he noted, is now almost entirely Indian, attributing this to rising costs that push out native Texans. He described the cultural shifts as challenging for his family, stating, “They don’t like us. We don’t share anything in common with them.”

Despite his frustrations, Keene emphasized there’s no personal animosity towards individuals. His discontent is directed at the policies affecting his community’s fabric—especially regarding H-1B visas, which he believes threaten the local culture.

The rapid demographic shift has left him feeling displaced among his own friends and neighbors. “I’m losing my neighbor, my America. These folks are being pushed out of my neighborhood… Most people under 35 are struggling,” he lamented.

Keene added, “Every house I’ve ever seen is owned by Indians. …My house is owned by Indians. My street is Indian.”

In addition to his home, he leases two properties: a coffee shop and a warehouse, all owned by Indians.

Texas ranks second in the nation for Indian immigration, accounting for about 11%. Recent surveys show there are about 2.1 million Indians in the U.S. with an average household income of $166,200. Last year, India received $118.7 billion in remittances from the U.S., the most of any nation.

While Keene appreciates the support among friends and online communities amidst the harassment campaign, he acknowledges that the publicity has made it increasingly tough for his business to thrive.

The Little Elm Police Department and the Colin County District Attorney’s Office have not provided comments regarding the situation, and attempts to reach the North Texas Association of India for inquiries have gone unanswered.