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http://www.wtsp.com/news/watercooler/article/291011/58/Restauran
t-t-shirt-How-to-catch-an-illegal-immigrant

West Columbia, SC (WLTX) - A t-shirt being worn and sold at a 
South Carolina Mexican restaurant is creating a bit of 
controversy.

The shirts from Taco Cid read, "How to Catch an Illegal 
Immigrant." Accompanying the words is a drawing of a box with a 
stick being held over two tacos -- a makeshift trap.

A photo of a Taco Cid employee wearing one of the shirts started 
getting national attention over the weekend after it was tweeted 
by Corey Hutchins, a reporter at the Free Times.

It's obviously struck a chord: the owner says since the shirts 
debuted, he's gotten calls from all over the country wanting one 
of the items, which cost $35.

Taco Cid owner Leanne Snelgrove says the last 24 hours have been 
anything but a siesta.

"Not nationwide, No. I had a clue it would be a hit around town 
but not nationwide."

Snelgrove says she's received comments from praising the shirts 
to more extreme measures: "We've received death threats, we've 
received bomb threats."

Snelgrove claims even her husband was fired by a company and 
replaced by illegal immigrants. Our sister station WLTX News 19 
asked Snelgrove, "What do you say to someone who see's the shirt 
and says, 'that's racist'?"

"That's your opinion," said Snelgrove. "If you support illegal 
immigrants then you support paying tax dollars for other people 
who just worked under the table. Let me tell you, small business 
owners - we pay taxes!"

We showed the shirt to Sandy Jones, a Pastor at a prominently 
Hispanic Church is the Midlands.

"I think it's very racist, I think it's a very racist comment," 
said Jones. "If that's not likely illegal immigrants to animals 
you can capture with a box I don't know what else."

Jones says she's offended by the shirt and wants the restaurant 
to stop selling it and to apologize.

"When national news is going to hear and think that everyone is 
South Carolina thinks like this, that hurts me personally. It 
makes me very sad," said Jones.

Snelgrove says she'll keep selling the shirts, even if she is 
surprised by all the attention.

"The taco business is booming," said Snelgrove. "Come see us."

On its website, Taco Cid issued a statement about the shirt:

"Our t-shirts were created as a witty and comical statement 
regarding ILLEGAL immigrants. There are NO racial nor hate 
remarks towards any specific ethnic group," it says in part. "As 
most tax paying Americans, we do believe ILLEGAL immigrants are 
burdening the system we support and live under, thereby, causing 
us to work harder and pay higher taxes to support the illegal 
activities, which our government has simply chosen to look the 
other way. Is it "racist" to disagree with those who are not 
supporting the American system?"

Snelgrove says they got the idea after going on a cruise to Key 
West and saw similar shirts. The shirts are selling for $35 and 
Snelgrove says she's been mailing them all over the world.

"It's not racist. It's immigrants - illegal immigrants. It was 
just a t-shirt. Just a t-shirt," said Snelgrove.

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