'They were Indian': US cleaning business owner faces scrutiny over racial profiling

A cleaning business owner in North Carolina is facing scrutiny over allegations of racial profiling. Robert Nolen instructed his staff not to consider Indian callers as potential customers, sparking concerns of discrimination based on ethnicity. Nolen claimed he teaches his team to "profile every client" and says his team separated Indian callers and considered adjusting prices to discourage their patronage.

One of Nolen's X posts stated, "They were Indian so we didn't count them as a lead." He also tweeted, "We don't want your business." The Indian American Advocacy Council (IAAC) is investigating Nolen's statements and gathering accounts from Indian customers, applicants, workers, and contractors who feel they were treated unfairly due to their ethnicity or national origin.

The IAAC stated that if Nolen's business practices indeed target certain customers based on their ethnicity, the statements could lead to legal issues. The IAAC also referenced Charlotte's rules prohibiting businesses from denying services or making customers feel unwelcome because of their national origin or ethnicity.