Motel 6 Will Pay $6.6M to Settle Latino Discrimination Class Action

Motel 6 has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit by paying $6.6 million to guests who alleged they were targeted because of their race and their information was sent to immigration officials by the motel.

Several Latino Motel 6 customers alleged in their class action lawsuit that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were sent personal information about them when they stayed at the economically inclined inn.

Ultimately, several hotel guests were detained by agents, according to the Motel 6 class action lawsuit.

In the face of class action allegations of racial discrimination, Motel 6 has agreed to pay those whose information was sent to ICE agents.

Class Members whose information was sent can claim $50, while those who faced ICE questioning will receive $1,000. Motel 6 guests who faced deportation because of the hotel’s disclosures to ICE will receive $7,500.

“Motel 6 fully recognizes the seriousness of the situation and accepts full responsibility for both compensating those who were harmed and taking the necessary steps to ensure that we protect the privacy of our guests,” noted hotel representatives and the plaintiffs in a recent joint statement.

“As part of the agreement, Motel 6 has implemented additional controls to protect private information and enhance corporate oversight in cases where law enforcement requests information, including when lawful requests are made. The agreement, if approved by the court, would also establish a claims process for both named plaintiffs and others who were impacted by the sharing of guest information with immigration authorities.”

According to the Motel 6 Latino discrimination class action lawsuit, beginning in 2017 the hotel implemented a policy instructing employees to send personal information about its guests to ICE.

The plaintiffs said the goal of Motel 6’s policy was for ICE to question, detain, and ultimately arrest guests – all without a warrant or reasonable suspicion of a crime.

The Motel 6 class action lawsuit accused the motel of discriminating against its Latino guests, inviting ICE agents into private areas of hotels to assist in ill-gotten interrogations and detention of hotel patrons.

Class Members include those who stayed at certain Motel 6 hotels between Feb. 1, 2017 and Nov. 2, 2018 whose guest information was provided to ICE agents.

The motel must have been a Motel 6 branded facility operated by the defendants in the class action lawsuit, including Motel 6 Operating LP.

Additional Classes include those who were questioned or interrogated by ICE, as well as those who were placed in immigration removal proceedings as a result of Motel 6 providing their information to the agency.

According to the motion preliminary approval of the Motel 6 Latino discrimination class action settlement, the hotel expects to pay up to $5.6 million to Class Members, along with plaintiff awards and attorney’s fees and costs.

Top Class Actions will post updates to this class action settlement as they become available. For the latest updates, keep checking TopClassActions.com or sign up for our free newsletter. You can also receive notifications when this article is updated by using your free Top Class Actions account and clicking the “Follow Article” button at the top of the post.

The plaintiffs are represented by Thomas A. Saenz, Andres R. Holguin-Flores, and Andres J. Gallegos of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

The Motel 6 Latino Discrimination Class Action Lawsuit is Jane V., et al. v. Motel 6 Operating LP, et al., Case No. 2:18-cv-00242-DMF, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

UPDATE: On June 28, 2019, Motel 6 agreed to pay former guests $10 million under a revised settlement agreement resolving claims that they shared the names of hotel guests with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).