How to deal with racial harassment in the workplace from customers?

Being Asian American and working in retail, 2 customers came up to me and my Hispanic co-worker and racially harassed us because we could not honor her request due to company policies. They called us f---ing immigrants and how because of that, we were "incompetent." Being a college student heavily involved in advocacy issues, especially civil rights, I was very angered by their remarks, and even more angered at myself that I couldn't talk back because I was working. I find it ironic how racial harassment is illegal among co-workers yet when customers do it, we're almost hinted at to simply ignore it. How should we handle racial harassment from customers in the retail industry where employees are taught "the customer is always right?" What is management's role in situations like this?

Retail employees maybe getting paid to deal with customers, but no one deserves crap like this!

THe previous answer is correct. You have to approach your manager with your concerns, and ask them how they would like to handle a similiar situation in the future. Arguing with a customer is bad form, and will likely get you fired. If your employer won't resolve this situation, you'd have a case for harrassment, but the easiest solution would be to get another job.

your employer is required to provide you a safe workplace free from harassment of any kind. that includes management, co-workers, purveyors and customers. you must as in all cases of harassment let management know about the problem and they are required to act on the complaint even if it means asking a customer to leave. you must keep yourself in the "right' by not aggravating the situation you must allow management to do their job.

Management should deny service to anyone with these types of comments, I certainly would. I believe the appropriate action would be to alert management and they should ethically be the ones to handle it. But honestly, I wouldn't be able to refrain telling them to **** off.

NO RACIAL HARASSMENT EVER AGAIN........AMERICANS HAVE GOT TO WATCH THERE EGO VERY CAREFULLY

Fantastic question. You are right, you do not deserve to be spoken to like that, EVER!
If something like this should happen again, I would look directly into the eye of the person harassing me and I would say to him/her that you will not accept racial slurs or hate speech, even from a customer. You may walk away, or you may stand and wait for a response (I would stay and wait...but I'm somewhat difficult).
I would then document the exchange, have any witnesses also document the exchange, and (make copies), pass along to management. Demand to know what your supervisor expects you to do in a situation like that, if it is not an acceptable answer for you, then keep following the chain of command until you have been satisfied that you will not be bullied by customers. You can always begin a letter writing campaign if you are not protected by your employer from this type , or any type, of harassment from anyone that you will have to be in contact with at your job....newspaper editors, head of the company that you work for, the ACLU............