However after the worker at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Worldwide Airport steered that the American citizen was from one other nation and wanted to indicate a legitimate ID, a police officer arrived on the scene on Could 9 in response to Marchand recording the interplay at Hertz.

“We’ve had a number of completely different prospects that come right here which have an out-of-the-country driver’s license that current a passport,” the worker stated, in line with body-cam video launched by police in Kenner, La., early Friday.

A annoyed Marchand responded, “However this isn’t an out-of-country driver’s license.”

She ignored him and continued, “Since you recorded us, you’re not going to have the ability to hire from Hertz ever! Since you shouldn’t have recorded us, ever.”

Then, the Kenner police officer sided with the Hertz worker and insisted that it was time for Marchand to depart with out his rental automotive, saying, “We’re not going to sit down right here tonight and do that s— anymore.”

“Don’t come again up right here and trigger any extra disturbances,” the officer stated, in line with video.

Marchand sarcastically responds, “You’re going to name what? Border companies?”

The discharge of the body-cam footage, which was beforehand reported by CBS News’s David Begnaud, comes days after Hertz apologized to Marchand for an incident that the corporate says ought to have by no means occurred.

“Hertz accepts Puerto Rican driver’s licenses from our prospects renting within the U.S. with out requiring a legitimate passport,” a spokesperson stated in a press release to The Washington Publish. “We sincerely remorse that our coverage was not adopted and have apologized to Mr. Marchand and refunded his rental.”

It’s unclear whether or not the worker or officer, who haven’t been publicly recognized, would face self-discipline. Kenner Police Capt. Michael Cunningham didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Friday morning. The Hertz spokesperson didn’t point out any particular motion taken towards the worker, however emphasised that the corporate was “reinforcing our insurance policies with workers to make sure that they’re understood and adopted constantly throughout our areas.”

Marchand, 54, of San Juan, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark Friday morning. He informed WVUE, a Fox affiliate in New Orleans, that he was shocked he was thought of to not be a U.S. citizen.

“I really feel like a second-class citizen as a result of there are 3.1 million U.S. residents that dwell in Puerto Rico,” he stated. “Why do we have now to undergo this degree of scrutiny in 2023?”

Puerto Rico is among the many 5 completely inhabited U.S. territories. The group additionally consists of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Folks born in Washington D.C. or 4 of these territories are U.S. residents; American Samoans are “U.S. nationals.”

What occurred in New Orleans is at the least the second incident prior to now month during which Puerto Ricans had been denied a service at an airport for not displaying a U.S. passport. A Puerto Rican household touring dwelling from Los Angeles was stopped from boarding a Spirit Airways flight on April 25 as a result of the household’s 2-year-old son didn’t have a U.S. passport, CBS Information reported. Spirit has since apologized, saying in a press release that the gate agent working the flight at Los Angeles Worldwide Airport “misunderstood the identification necessities.”

Though Puerto Rican-issued IDs are REAL ID compliant, in line with the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Safety, and acknowledged by all states, some employees have maintained that identification from the U.S. territory shouldn’t be robust sufficient proof that they’re an American citizen. In 2020, a Circle Okay worker in Colorado refused to promote a pack of cigarettes to a Puerto Rican lady after the employee incorrectly claimed that the shopper didn’t have a U.S.-issued ID, in line with KUSA, an NBC affiliate in Denver. The corporate later apologized.

Marchand was on the town to assist his son transfer out of his house on the finish of the tutorial yr at Loyola College New Orleans, WVUE reported. Marchand, a 1990 graduate of the varsity, spent years working as a federal legislation enforcement officer for the U.S. Probation Workplace earlier than retiring, in line with his LinkedIn profile.

Marchand’s flight from Puerto Rico arrived late on Could 9, and he hoped to get his rental automotive rapidly after prepaying for it three weeks earlier, he tweeted. However when the worker requested him to see his passport, Marchand questioned why he wanted to take action after displaying his Puerto Rican driver’s license.

“You’re denying me as a result of I’ve a driver’s license which is a legitimate ID?” Marchand requested, in line with a video he recorded of the interplay. “It’s a legitimate ID. It’s a legitimate ID.”

The Hertz worker appeared irritated by the person, repeatedly saying, “I want you to go about what you are promoting.” After the person continued to emphasize he had legitimate identification, she requested whether or not he wished her to name the police. Marchand stated, “Sure, please, name the police.”

When the officer arrived shortly earlier than midnight, Marchand tried to elucidate how he’s a U.S. citizen and that his ID was legitimate, in line with body-cam video that’s almost seven minutes lengthy. The officer requested what the problem was and why Marchand “brought about a scene.” As Marchand responded and famous that he was a former federal legislation enforcement officer, the Kenner officer lower him off.

“Should you’re claiming that you simply’re a federal officer, then perhaps you’ll be able to perceive the phrases which might be popping out of my mouth slightly bit extra clear for the third time,” the officer stated. “If they are saying you want a passport and also you don’t have one, then what’s the issue? What’s that dividing line which you could’t work out that they’re not going to hire you a automotive and not using a passport?”

That’s when the Hertz worker steered to Marchand he didn’t have an American ID and falsely claimed he can be banned from renting from the corporate. As Marchand once more tried to make his case, the officer interrupted once more.

“We’re not going to do that crap anymore. We’re not going to sit down right here for any longer and bicker over this nonsense,” the officer snapped, in line with video. “They’ve acquired this factor known as the company workplace. You possibly can ship all of the movies you recorded to them [and] attempt to get your cash.”

The officer requested Marchand for his ID, and the person agreed, saying he was “doing this out of precept.”

“No, you’re doing this as a result of I’m telling you to depart, in order that’s sadly what’s going to occur,” the officer replied, in line with video. “We don’t want any extra disturbances.”

Marchand later informed WVUE that the expertise left him feeling dissatisfied. Though he was glad that the officer didn’t touch upon immigration enforcement, Marchand stated the officer “was able as an arbiter to at the least verify that was a legitimate ID.”

“Particularly my license because it was a REAL ID,” he stated.

When Marchand started to exit from the airport with out his rental automotive, the officer had another query for the Puerto Rican man: “Do you’ve gotten a U.S. telephone quantity?”