NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Dallas, TX, October 14, 2025: A Texas coffee shop owner is facing widespread backlash after posting a controversial video criticizing Indian immigrants and calling for an end to the H-1B visa program.
Daniel Keene, 30, owner of Boundaries Coffee in suburban Dallas, posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) in early September showing a local Ganesh Chaturthi procession. Alongside the video, he wrote: “We have to cancel the H-1Bs. I want my kids to grow up in America. Not India.”
The post, which was later deleted, quickly went viral and drew condemnation from the Indian American community and beyond. Critics accused Keene of xenophobia and cultural intolerance, while others defended his right to express political opinions.
The backlash was swift and far-reaching. Keene says his coffee business lost around $8,000 in sales in the two weeks following the post, and a prospective employee withdrew their application. Review sites such as Yelp were flooded with negative comments, and his shops became the target of online campaigns calling for boycotts.
The controversy also spilled into Keene’s personal life. CrossFit Prosper, a gym where he was a member, terminated his membership, saying his public statements were incompatible with their values of inclusivity. He also parted ways with his local church after what he described as tense meetings with church elders.
Keene told Newsweek he has received threatening emails since the post went viral, including one demanding $20,000 — a claim that has not been independently verified.
Despite the backlash, Keene has remained unapologetic. “I stand by what I said,” he told reporters. “This isn’t about race or religion — it’s about immigration policy and the long-term consequences for our country. Everything that is legal is not necessarily beneficial.”
Cover photo: X/@DanielKeene
He maintains that his criticism was aimed at the H-1B visa program and its impact on American workers, not at any specific group. “We have to have honest conversations about what kind of America we want to leave for our children,” he added.
Since I’m no longer a member of the church and my now former elders have made public comments on the issue I’d like to thank @sgpestritto for accurately covering this issue. https://t.co/hnusOR2BzV
— Daniel Keene (@Djkeene1) October 7, 2025
