Motel 6 settles claim it helped ICE target Latino guests

After a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Motel 6, the chain agreed to pay as much as $7.6 million to guests who said their private information was given to U.S. immigration agents, according to court records.

Former guests sued Motel 6 over privacy violations earlier this year, alleging that the chain handed over their personal information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit came after a 2017 Phoenix New Times report that ICE agents made at least 20 arrests at two Motel 6 locations in Arizona.

Under the proposed settlement agreement, the hotel also agreed not to share guests’ personal information without a warrant or subpoena, unless necessary to prevent “a significant crime,” according to the document.

“It’s very important in our minds that Motel 6 is putting in place policies and procedures that would prevent this from happening again,” Thomas Saenz, president and general counsel at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), told The Washington Post on Tuesday. MALDEF represented the guests in the class-action lawsuit.

Motel 6 and MALDEF said in a joint statement that the hotel has prohibited employees from sharing such information.

“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,” it said. The hotel chain did not, however, admit any wrongdoing.

ICE did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.

MALDEF filed the lawsuit in January on behalf of seven class

Alabama

Voters approved an amendment that gives public officials and institutions the authority to display the Ten Commandments. As part of the measure, state funds cannot be used to defend the amendment if it is challenged in court.

Alaska

Mike J. Dunleavy, a well-financed Republican and former state senator, was elected governor, capping a race marked by Gov. Bill Walker’s abrupt decision to end his re-election campaign last month. U.S. Rep. Don Young, an 85-yearold Republican, was elected to his 24th term. He is considered the “Dean of the House” — the honorific given to the chamber’s longest-serving member.

Arizona

The hard-fought race between Democrat Kyrsten Sinema and Republican Martha McSally for Arizona’s open U.S. Senate seat remained too close to call. State officials say it could take days — maybe even longer — to declare a winner. In another closely watched race, Republican Paul A. Gosar — the incumbent who was repudiated by his siblings in attack ads — was re-elected to the U.S. House.

Arkansas

Republican French Hill won a third term to the U.S. House, fending off a well-financed challenge from Democratic state lawmaker Clarke Tucker. The race, which also included a Libertarian candidate, was considered the most contested in the state. Voters also decided to raise the minimum wage from $8.50 an hour to $11 by 2021.

California

All of California’s hardest-fought congressional races remained too close to call. But it appeared likely that Republicans in the state could lose some of their 14 seats. With thousands of ballots uncounted, state officials told the Los Angeles Times it could take days or weeks for several of the races to be decided. In the governor’s race, Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, won a resounding victory over Republican challenger John Cox.

Colorado

Jared Polis, a Democrat, was elected Colorado’s governor, making him the first openly gay man ever elected to lead a state. His victory was viewed as a watershed moment for the national LGBT community. In another statewide race, voters rejected a measure that could have sharply reduced oil and gas drilling, including the method known as fracking.

Connecticut

Ned Lamont was elected the next governor of Connecticut, beating Republican Bob Stefanowski, while political newcomer Jahana Hayes became the first African-American woman to represent Connecticut in Congress. In a state Senate race, Will Haskell, a 22-year-old Georgetown University graduate, defeated Toni Boucher, a Republican who has been serving in the state Legislature since 1997 — almost as long as Haskell has been alive.

Delaware

Incumbent Democrat Tom Carper won a fourth term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Republican Rob Arlett. Carper has held a statewide elected office in Delaware since 1977.

Florida

Republican Ron DeSantis will be Florida’s next governor, defeating Democrat Andrew Gillum, who had hoped to become Florida’s first black governor. Voters also approved a ballot measure that will enable more than 1 million ex-felons to regain their voting rights and agreed to phase out greyhound racing in the state, the last stronghold of the sport in the United States. The Senate race between incumbent Bill Nelson, a Democrat, and Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, is “proceeding to a recount,” Nelson said.

Georgia

Republican Brian Kemp claimed victory over Democrat Stacey Abrams on Wednesday as more election results trickled in for the nationally-watched race for governor. Kemp expressed confidence his slim edge over Abrams was insurmountable; Abrams said she would not concede the race until more ballots were counted. A pair of congressional races in suburban Atlanta remained in limbo with razorthin vote margins separating the candidates.

Hawaii

Gov. David Ige clinched another term as governor, taking a decisive lead of more than 100,000 votes over his Republican opponent, state Rep. Andria Tupola.

Idaho

Idaho Lt. Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, will ascend to the state’s top job after easily outpacing his Democratic rival Tuesday. Little beat out former state Rep. Paulette Jordan, a Democrat and the first Native American woman to win a major party’s nomination for governor.

Illinois

First-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner lost his bid for a second term to Democrat J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire. Rauner conceded his re-election bid less than an hour after the polls closed, giving Democrats near total control of Illinois’ state government.

Indiana

Republican businessman Mike Braun defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly in one of nation’s most bitter and hotly contested Senate races. In other races, Democrat J.D. Ford made history Tuesday, becoming the first openly gay person elected to the Indiana General Assembly. He defeated Sen. Mike Delph, who is known for his opposition to gay marriage.

Iowa

Republican Steve King won a ninth term in Congress, despite condemnation from his own party over his support of white supremacist groups and leaders. In the governor’s race, voters chose Gov. Kim Reynolds over Democrat Fred Hubbell.

Kansas

Democrat Laura Kelly, a state senator from Topeka, defeated Secretary of State Kris Kobach, a strong ally of Donald Trump who is known for his hard-line views on immigration and who was the face of Trump’s anti-voter-fraud panel. But Republicans swept the other statewide races.

Kentucky

Rep. Andy Barr, an incumbent Republican, defeated one of the Democratic Party’s most prominent challengers, Amy McGrath, whose biography as a Marine aviator gave her a huge fundraising advantage. In Rowan County, Republican Kim Davis, the county clerk who went to jail in 2015 for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, lost her bid for a second term.

Louisiana

The midterm elections in politically colorful Louisiana were relatively quiet. All six of the state’s House members were re-elected, with the focus turning to what roles Republican Steve Scalise and Democrat Cedric Richmond will play in the new Congress.

Maine

Attorney General Janet Mills will be the state’s first female governor, giving Democrats their first electoral victory for a statewide office since 2006. Independent Sen. Angus King cruised to a majority win for a second term.

Maryland

Popular Republican Gov. Larry Hogan soundly defeated his Democratic challenger, Ben Jealous, becoming just the second Republican re-elected to the governorship in the state’s history. Maryland has twice as many Democrats as Republicans.

Massachusetts

Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, weighing a possible White House run, defeated two challengers, while Republican Gov. Charlie Baker won a second. Voters also returned an all-Democratic House delegation to Washington and approved a first-in-the-nation ballot question on transgender rights.

Michigan

Former state Senate leader Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, defeated Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette in the race for governor. In the Senate race, Democratic incumbent Debbie Stabenow fended off Republican challenger John James — a veteran who had been endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Minnesota

Democrat Ilhan Omar became the country’s first Somali-American elected to Congress. She defeated Republican Jennifer Zielinski in a U.S. House race to represent the state’s Fifth District. “Here in Minnesota, we don’t only welcome immigrants; we send them to Washington,” Omar told supporters at a victory party in Minneapolis. She joins Rashida Tlaib of Michigan as the first Muslim women in Congress.

Mississippi

Democrat Mike Espy and Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith will be in a runoff Nov. 27 to serve the last two years of an unexpired term Senate term. The winner would become the first woman or first African-American since Reconstruction to represent the state in the Senate.

Missouri

Josh Hawley, the state’s attorney general, defeated Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, a two-term incumbent. At age 38, Hawley will become the youngest member of the current Senate. McCaskill had faced a tough race in a state that in 2016 voted for President Donald Trump, whose support for Hawley included five trips to the state since March.

Montana

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Tester was declared the winner over Republican state Auditor Matt Rosendale in an effort to retain his seat. The Associated Press and CNN called the race for Tester, who would serve his third term.

Nebraska

Republicans Gov. Pete Ricketts and Sen. Deb Fischer were re-elected, beating back challenges from Democrats Bob Krist and Jane Raybould. Ricketts and Fischer each will be serving a second term. In Lincoln, voters ended Chris Beutler’s mayoral career by limiting the mayor to three consecutive terms.

New Hampshire

Republican Gov. Chris Sununu was re-elected in a solid victory over his opponent, former state Sen. Molly Kelly. In the 1st Congressional District, voters elected the state’s first openly gay congressman as Democrat Chris Pappas defeated Republican Eddie Edwards for the seat that is held by Carol Shea-Porter, who is retiring.

Nevada

Rep. Jacky Rosen won her bid to unseat Republican Sen. Dean Heller, delivering a key Senate pick up for Democrats. In other races, Republican Adam Laxalt, whose family urged the state’s voters to reject him, lost the governor’s race. And Dennis Hof, a Nevada brothel owner and reality TV star who died last month, won an election for Nevada’s 36th Assembly District.

New Jersey

Sen. Robert Menendez, a Democrat, was elected to a third term, withstanding a public backlash over his federal corruption trial and the official Senate criticism he received for misusing his office for personal gain.

New Mexico

Democrat Martin Heinrich won a second term in the U.S. Senate, brushing aside challenges from two opponents, including former Gov. Gary Johnson, who ran for president as a Libertarian in 2016. Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham defeated Republican Steve Pearce in a spirited showdown to be the state’s next governor.

New York

Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, won re-election. Rep. Chris Collins, the Republican recently indicted on federal insider trading charges, will retain his House seat. Collins had suspended his campaign in August after being arrested. But he relaunched his campaign after efforts by the Republican Party to replace him on the ballot failed.

North Carolina

Republican Mark Harris declared victory over Democrat Dan McCready early Wednesday morning in the state’s 9th Congressional District. Though McCready did not concede, North Carolina’s most expensive race appeared to end with Republicans holding onto a seat they’ve controlled for decades. In the 12th District, Democratic Rep. Alma Adams of Charlotte cruised to an easy victory over Republican Paul Wright.

North Dakota

Republican Kevin Cramer ousted Democrat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in a closely watched Senate race. The race could go down as the most expensive race in North Dakota history.

Ohio

Republicans maintained state control, with Mike DeWine winning over Democrat Richard Cordray. Voters also rejected State Issue 1, which would have changed state law to keep lowlevel drug offenders out of prison and promote more treatment of drug addiction. The proposed constitutional amendment was not only divisive, but it captured national attention.

Oklahoma

Republican Kevin Stitt was elected governor, defeating Democrat Drew Edmondson and Libertarian Chris Powell. Stitt, a business owner from Tulsa who was virtually unknown in politics a year ago, ran on the promise of giving first-time teachers a $5,000 bonus and vowed to reduce and streamline state agencies to save money.

Oregon

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, won re-election, beating Republican Rep. Knute Buehler. Brown will not be able to run for governor again until 2026 because of a constitutional limit. In February 2015 she became the nation’s first openly bisexual governor.

Pennsylvania

Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, fended off a challenge from Republican Scott Wagner to win another four-year term. The race attracted national attention after Wagner released a video in which he threatened Wolf, warning, “you better put a catcher’s mask on your face, because I’m going to stomp all over your face with golf spikes. I’m sick and tired of your negative ads.” Democrat Bob Casey was re-elected to the Senate.

Rhode Island

Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo, the state’s first female governor, won another fouryear term. Incumbent Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse was also re-elected, as were the state’s two Democratic representatives.

South Carolina

Republican Henry McMaster, who replaced Nikki Haley as the state’s governor, defeated Democrat James Smith to win his first elected term. A Democrat, Joe Cunningham, won the state’s coastal 1st Congressional District for the first time in 40 years, while Republican state Sen. William Timmons won the race to replace Rep. Trey Gowdy.

South Dakota

Rep. Kristi Noem will become South Dakota’s first female governor, defeating state Sen. Billie Sutton. Her victory extended the Republican Party’s hold on the state’s governorship, a streak that has lasted since 1978, the longest GOP run in the country.

Tennessee

Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn became Tennessee’s first female senator when she defeated former Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen, keeping retiring Sen. Bob Corker’s seat in GOP hands. Blackburn’s supporters were quick to mock singer Taylor Swift, who had endorsed Bredesen.

Texas

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz won re-election Tuesday in one of the tightest midterm races in the country. He defeated the best-financed and most popular Democrat to run in Texas in years, Rep. Beto O’Rourke. In a U.S. House race, Dan Crenshaw, a former Navy SEAL who lost an eye to an explosion in combat, won an open seat. He was mocked days ago for his injury on “Saturday Night Live,” and the joke drew wide condemnation.

Utah

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won his Senate bid over Democrat Jenny Wilson and will replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch. President Donald Trump mocked Rep. Mia Love, the lone black Republican woman in Congress who was trailing in her bid for re-election, saying she refused to embrace him and his administration. “Mia Love gave me no love,” he said. “She lost. Too bad. Sorry about that Mia.”

Vermont

In a state dominated by Democrats, Republican Gov. Phil Scott captured a second term, defeating Christine Hallquist, the first transgender person to run as a major-party candidate for governor. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders won a third term over his main opponent, Republican Lawrence Zupan.

Virginia

Democrat Jennifer T. Wexton defeated incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock in Virginia’s 10th District, and Sen. Tim Kaine, a former governor and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 running mate, easily won a second term over Republican challenger Corey A. Stewart. In other races, an accused “devotee of Bigfoot erotica” was elected to the U.S. House. Denver Riggleman had to endure a nasty race in which Democratic challenger Leslie Cockburn attacked him on multiple fronts.

Washington

Democratic incumbent Sen. Maria Cantwell won a fourth term, while Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers withstood a strong Democratic opponent to keep her seat in the House. A gun regulations ballot measure passed that will make Washington’s firearms laws among the strictest in the nation.

West Virginia

Democrat Joe Manchin pushed back against the popularity of President Donald Trump in his own state to win his second full term in the U.S. Senate. Manchin endured the toughest campaign in his three-plus decades in West Virginia politics, defeating Republican state attorney general Patrick Morrisey.

Wisconsin

Democrats toppled Republican Scott Walker, who gained national attention by leading a rollback of union rights that led to protests inside the state Capitol. He survived a recall attempt before falling short in a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Wyoming

Incumbents Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Liz Cheney easily defeated Democratic challengers, while state Treasurer Mark Gordon, a Republican, will be Wyoming’s next governor.