‘OUT-OF-COUNTRY’

Bodycam Footage Shows Puerto Rican Man Being Denied Hertz Rental Car

Both the Hertz worker and a cop didn’t seem to realize that Puerto Rico is part of the U.S.

After a Hertz attendant denied a Puerto Rican man a rental car at New Orleans’ airport because of his “out-of-country” ID, the heated argument only continued when cop stepped in. Body-cam footage shows the attendant describing a “policy” in which non-U.S. residents must show their passports to rent a car—seemingly not realizing that Puerto Rico is part of the U.S. She said Humberto Marchand got “irate,” started recording everyone, and refused to leave. Marchand fought back, telling the officer he was recording to make a claim to Hertz. Marchand argued that his Puerto Rican license is a valid U.S. ID and he doesn’t need to travel with a passport within the country. “Maybe you can understand the words coming out of my mouth a little bit more clear for the third time, if they say you need a passport, and you don’t have one… what is your problem?” the officer responded. “It is midnight. This is ridiculous. We are not going to do this crap anymore.” In a statement, Hertz confirmed Puerto Ricans do not need a passport to rent a car in the U.S. and apologized to Marchand.