WOW

Motel 6 to Pay Up to $7.6 Million to Settle Claim It Gave Guests’ Info to ICE

A class-action lawsuit was filed against the chain in January.

Budget motel chain Motel 6 agreed to pay up to $7.6 million to settle a class-action lawsuit in which guests claimed their “private information was given to U.S. immigration agents,” The Washington Post reports. The lawsuit settles claims from eight Hispanic plaintiffs who alleged that Motel 6 violated their privacy by providing guest lists to ICE agents “without warrants being served.” It also reportedly claimed some guests were subsequently “interrogated and arrested.” In addition to the payments, Motel 6 reportedly agreed not to share guest information “without a warrant or subpoena, unless necessary to prevent ‘a significant crime.’” The settlement still needs to be approved by a district court. The motel chain did not admit to any wrongdoing in a statement, but said it would compensate “those who were harmed.” The lawsuit was reportedly filed after a 2017 Phoenix New Times report said ICE agents arrested guests every two weeks at Arizona Motel 6 locations between February to August 2017.