Hospitality company responds to Guardian story about ICE’s use of Sheraton hotel.
Marriott International has come under criticism after new revelations on The Guardian website suggested one of its hotels in Louisiana was used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain migrant families awaiting deportation. The disclosure appears to undermine a 2019 pledge from the hospitality group, when it stated it would not permit its hotels to be used as detention sites under any circumstance.
In a statement issued following the Guardian’s reporting, Marriott did not directly dispute the claims but instead highlighted that its properties are “not designed or intended” to function as detention centres. The company added that the decision to accept certain bookings “does not indicate support or endorsement” of the policies or groups involved. Marriott further clarified that the property in question was operated by a third-party franchisee, not by Marriott itself.
The Guardian’s investigation revealed that the Sheraton Four Points in Alexandria, located near a significant ICE deportation hub, has been used to accommodate detained families prior to removal from the US. The brand is one of several owned by Marriott, which also includes well-known chains such as Courtyard and Ritz-Carlton.
Evidence reviewed included mobile phone tracking data, first uncovered by the Intercept, which confirmed the detention of a father and his teenage son at the hotel before their deportation to Ecuador earlier in the month. A local source with knowledge of hotel operations also suggested the property has been used by ICE since undergoing renovations in 2023.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of Marriott’s previous public assurances. In 2019, as the Trump administration was reportedly planning large-scale arrests of undocumented immigrants, ABC News reported that government officials had even considered the temporary use of hotel rooms. Marriott, however, insisted at the time that it would reject any such requests, stressing its hotels were designed to welcome guests and serve communities rather than act as detention facilities.
The company’s franchise documents indicate an expectation that franchisees uphold the values of the Marriott brand and help maintain its global reputation. Yet critics argue that by allowing rooms to be booked for such purposes, even indirectly, the corporation risks appearing complicit in government actions it once claimed to oppose.
The Guardian’s report has prompted renewed debate over the role of private businesses in US immigration enforcement, raising questions about accountability when hotels and other commercial spaces are used in ways that may conflict with stated corporate policies.
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