Marriott, the hospitality giant, has not disputed recent revelations that a Louisiana hotel in its portfolio was used to detain migrant families before deportation, contradicting a 2019 policy that it would not cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice). The Guardian reported that a Sheraton hotel in Alexandria, near a major Ice deportation hub, has been used to hold family groups before they are removed from the US. The Sheraton brand is owned by Marriott International.
In a statement, a Marriott spokesperson said: 'Our hotels provide public accommodation and event space, but are not designed or intended to serve as detention centres. 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.' However, Marriott franchise documents state the company 'seeks to do business with franchisees that share our values'.
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 after being arrested in New York. Phone tracking data confirmed the pair had been held at the Sheraton Four Points in Alexandria during their detention in Louisiana. A source with knowledge of hotel operations in the city indicated the venue has been used by Ice to detain families and unaccompanied minors since it was renovated in 2023.
In 2019, during Donald Trump’s first term, Marriott rejected the idea that any of its hotels would be used by Ice to detain immigrants, saying: 'Marriott has made the decision to decline any requests to use our hotels as detention facilities.' The latest development contradicts that stance.
