Motel 6 settles Washington ICE data privacy lawsuit
Budget hotel chain Motel 6 will pay Washington state $12 million to settle a lawsuit which accused staff of supplying ICE officers with guests’ personal data.
As well as the settlement, the company signed a consent decree promising to no longer pass on guest information without a warrant.
The action brought by Attorney General Bob Ferguson alleged workers at seven Washington Motel 6 locations shared details of about 80,000 guests with immigration officers without their express knowledge.
Motel 6 also faced action in Arizona over simliar allegations.
AG Ferguson said several Washington residents were detained and some were deported due to the actions of hotel staff.
Motel 6 said it was not a company-wide practice to share data with ICE and only ‘ implemented at the local level without the knowledge of senior management.’
About $10 million of the settlement will go to affected guests as restitution for having their privacy compromised.
The parent company of Motel 6 has implemented ‘additional controls to ensure corporate oversight and compliance in cases where law-enforcement requests are made,’ said director of external relations, Maggie Giddens.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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