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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 10 July 2018

Deal struck to settle discrimination suit against Motel 6

By JACQUES BILLEAUD settlement paperwork. Mo- mented at the local level
Associated Press tel 6 has agreed in principle without the knowledge of
PHOENIX (AP) — Motel 6 to settle the lawsuit, the senior management.”
has tentatively agreed to deal is subject to the ap- Two weeks before the case
settle a lawsuit that alleges proval of a federal judge. was filed in Arizona, the
it discriminated against Don Bivens, an attorney Washington state attorney
some Latino customers at representing Motel 6, and general sued the chain,
two Phoenix locations by the Mexican American saying it had violated a
giving their whereabouts Legal Defense and Edu- state consumer protection
and personal information cational Fund, which filed law by providing the pri-
to immigration agents who the lawsuit in January, vate information of thou-
later arrested at least sev- didn’t immediately return sands of guests to immigra-
en guests. a call Monday seeking tion agents without a war-
The lawsuit alleges Motel 6 comment on the tentative rant.
had a corporate policy or settlement. Lauren Mack, The chain has said it had
practice of giving U.S. Im- a spokeswoman for ICE, told its more than 1,400 This Sept. 14, 2017, file photo shows a Motel 6 in Phoenix.
migration and Customs En- said the agency declined locations that they were Associated Press
forcement information that comment on the tentative prohibited from voluntarily licenses or identification lawsuit said.
guests provided at check- settlement. providing guest lists to im- cards issued by the Mexi- It said the eight guests had
in. It also accused Motel 6 The national budget motel migration authorities. can government to Motel a reasonable expecta-
of providing such informa- chain said in September The Arizona lawsuit was 6 employees, according to tion that their information
tion without requiring au- that its Phoenix employees filed in federal court on the lawsuit. would not be shared with
thorities to get a warrant or will no longer work with im- behalf of eight unnamed As a result, one woman was federal authorities and al-
without having a reason- migration authorities after Latinos who stayed at two deported from the United leged that the discrimina-
able suspicion that crimes the Phoenix New Times re- Motel 6 locations in the city States, while a man spent 30 tion was made because of
were being committed. ported that workers were during June and July 2017. days in a detention center their race or national origin.
Details of the tentative providing guests’ names to All but one of the eight was until he could raise a $7,500 Immigration and Customs
deal, revealed Friday in agents who later arrested arrested. bond. In two instances, Enforcement wasn’t tar-
court records, haven’t 20 people on immigration ICE agents visited some ICE agents laughed when geted in the lawsuit. The
been publicly released. charges. of the guests at their mo- guests asked them whether agency had no immediate
Lawyers said they need un- In a tweet at the time, Mo- tel rooms a day after they Motel 6 had provided their comment Monday on the
til mid-August to turn in the tel 6 said: “This was imple- showed passports, driver’s personal information, the tentative settlement.q

Texas church announces $3M in donations after mass shooting

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Tex- or families. Months ago,
as (AP) — A South Texas some donors, survivors
church has received near- and victims’ families ques-
ly $3 million in donations for tioned how the church
victims and their families was spending donations.
after more than two dozen Churches aren’t required
worshippers died in a mass to publicize their revenue,
shooting last year. expenditures and other
The First Baptist Church in financial details. Pome-
Sutherland Springs on Sun- roy said church leaders
day announced it received couldn’t make the finan-
$2.91 million in donations cial disclosure until now. It
after gunman Devin Pat- took months for the con-
rick Kelley opened fire dur- gregation to sort through
ing church services Nov. 5. the cash and checks and
Church leaders said arrange a system for dis-
$840,000 was designated tribution. The donations
for victim relief, the Dallas were sent to the church,
Morning News reported. a Wells Fargo relief fund
Pastor Frank Pomeroy said and two PayPal accounts.
about $2 million wasn’t The church has been dis-
designated by donors and tributing aid when survivors
about $130,000 was do- and victims’ families submit
nated for a memorial, the forms and receipts for ex-
church’s food pantry and penses related to the mass
funerals. The church will shooting, such as hospital
vote on any expenditure bills or renovating homes
above $1,000 used from for disabilities. “I’ve always
undesignated donations, believed in transparency,”
Pomeroy said. Pomeroy said. “I know it
The $2.91 million total may have made it look like
doesn’t include more than we were not trying to be
$24,000 designated by do- transparent before, but we
nors for specific survivors just weren’t ready.”q