Marriott has not disputed that a Sheraton hotel in Alexandria, Louisiana, was used to detain migrant families before deportation, contradicting its 2019 policy against cooperating with ICE. The company issued a brief statement saying hotels provide public accommodation and event space and are not designed to serve as detention centers. The statement said acceptance of business does not indicate endorsement and that the property is operated by a third party. Phone tracking data confirmed a father and his teenage son were held at the Sheraton Four Points in Alexandria during detention in Louisiana. A source familiar with local hotel operations said the venue has been used by ICE to detain families and unaccompanied minors.
Marriott did not initially respond to multiple requests for comment from the Guardian, but issued a three-sentence statement on Wednesday evening. Our hotels provide public accommodation and event space, but are not designed or intended to serve as detention centers, a Marriott spokesperson said. Acceptance of business does not indicate support or endorsement of any group or individual. The property you have reached out about is operated by a third party, not Marriott International.
The Guardian's report followed an article in the Intercept tracking the case of a father and his teenage son who were deported to Ecuador earlier this month after being arrested in New York. Phone tracking data cited by the Intercept and later seen by the Guardian confirmed the pair had been held at the Sheraton Four Points in Alexandria during their detention in Louisiana.
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