Thursday, October 5, 2017

AZMEX I3 30-9-17

AZMEX I3 30 SEP 2017

Note: Some may remember the chain's management saying they
"will continue to work to earn the trust and patronage of our millions of loyal guests."
( except maybe for Americans?)
Ref: AZMEX I3 15 SEP 2017
Gracias


Group of undocumented immigrants arrested at Motel 6
By Paulina Pineda
Nogales International Sep 28, 2017

http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/group-of-undocumented-immigrants-arrested-at-motel/article_15ba3b76-a4a0-11e7-834c-132d2198ceb5.html

The Motel 6 on Mariposa Road in Nogales.
Photo by Jonathan Clark

Nogales police, in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, arrested five undocumented immigrants staying at the local Motel 6.

The bust earlier this month came amid mounting concern over the extent of the national hotel chain's cooperation with federal immigration officials in Arizona, though the company said in a statement that it doesn't believe its employees were involved in the Nogales incident.

According to the police report, which the Nogales Police Department provided to the NI, five NPD officers working the Operation Stonegarden detail responded to the hotel on West Mariposa Road at about 6:24 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13 after receiving a request to assist the Border Patrol. Stonegarden is a federal program in which local police officers earn overtime by supporting federal agencies with immigration enforcement.

In an emailed statement on Sept. 21, the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector public information office said agents from the Nogales Station responded to the motel to assist the Nogales Police Department after a suspicious person call.

"It was reported that a concerned citizen called regarding possible human smuggling that was taking place at the Motel 6," the agency said, adding that "agents apprehended people in connection to a possible human-smuggling case including people who were in the country illegally."

In total, five men and two women were arrested and referred to the Border Patrol.

The incident occurred the same day the Phoenix New Times reported that employees at two Motel 6 locations in Phoenix regularly supplied law enforcement with information about hotel guests. A review of court records found that between February and August, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested at least 20 people at the two locations, though the New Times believes the number is likely higher.

In a statement issued the following day – after a barrage of negative comments on social media – Motel 6 said the practice was undertaken at the local level "without the knowledge of senior management."

A manager at the Nogales branch directed questions to Motel 6's media hotline. However, the number he provided was incorrect.

The company said based on a preliminary investigation of the incident, it does not believe Motel 6 staff called NPD or immigration officers.

"Local Motel 6 staff did not call the Nogales Police Department, nor were they in contact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Additionally, no information was requested nor provided by the property to the authorities," according to a statement provided by corporate spokeswoman Raiza Rehkoff. "The Nogales Police Department arrived at the property on the evening of Sept. 13 and proceeded directly to guest room #217 without any contact with the property staff. Our understanding is that they did so on the basis of an outside, anonymous tip."

Room 217

According to the police report, officers were informed that "possible undocumented aliens (were) being house inside room #217." The report did not mention how police were made aware of this or how they knew what room number the group was staying in.

A supplemental report written by a responding officer states that after he and a fellow officer knocked on the door, a male subject "dressed in dirty/smelly clothing" opened the door.

The officer asked him in English if he had rented the room, but the man allegedly didn't understand. After the officer asked him again in Spanish, the man said no.

"I immediately noticed four additional subjects in the same condition lying on the hotel bed and asked the subjects if they were illegally in the United States," the officer wrote.

The men allegedly told the officer that they had entered the country illegally and were waiting to be picked up. A wants and warrants check revealed none of the men had a criminal record in the United States, according to the report.

Another supplemental report states that while responding to the hotel, one of the officers overheard on the radio that two female subjects believed to be involved in the incident had left the hotel on foot toward North Grand Avenue. The officer then made contact with the women, who said they were at the Motel 6 pool, but the water was too cold, so they decided to walk to Walgreens.

The officer asked to see identification and they both handed over Arizona ID cards, the report states.

Asked if they were renting a room at the motel, the women said yes and confirmed that they were staying in room 217.

"I advised them that undocumented aliens were detained in that room so they were going to be detained," the officer wrote in the report, adding that one of the women said the other had told her the men in the room were her friends.

The women were transported back to Motel 6 and referred to the Border Patrol along with the five men.

Asked how the agency was made aware that there was a group of undocumented immigrants staying at the hotel, the sector's public information office said: "We do not know the identity of the person who called, but we encourage anyone witnessing any suspicious or illegal activity of any (kind) to call either 911 or the United States Border Patrol."

The Border Patrol did not respond to a question asking if Motel 6 shared guest information with the agency.

Since the Phoenix New Times story was published, Motel 6 said the company will review its policies regarding the practice of sharing guest information with law enforcement.

In a statement issued on Sept. 20, the company said: "(W)e are currently in the process of a comprehensive review of our practices and will issue updated, company-wide guidelines soon. As part of this review process, we intend to implement a policy that our locations will not voluntarily furnish guest lists to authorities unless subject to a compulsory process, such as a subpoena or warrant, or under truly extenuating circumstances, such as an imminent threat to public or guest safety."

END



Reminder:
MEXICO: "the decisions of who enters Mexico, are made by Mexico and only Mexico"
Luis Videgaray Caso, Mexican Foreign Minister
10 March, 2017

CANADA: "Our rules, our principles and our laws apply to everyone."
Justin Trudeau, boy PM of Canada. 20 Aug. 2017

So, Canada and Mexico can decide who enters their countries, but it is only the USA that cannot control who enters our country?
Gracias, Merci, Thx

No comments:

Post a Comment