Immigrants allege Denver hotel staff mistreated them

Henry Aguilar said he was discriminated against at a Denver hotel for being a migrant.Photo byDenver 8/City and County of Denver

Two immigrants from south of the border told the City Council Monday they were harassed when using hotel vouchers for shelter in Denver.

Speaking through an interpreter, Leivy Ortega and Henry Aguilar said they received vouchers for hotel stays from an unnamed non-profit. But they had problems using the vouchers, they said. Ortega said she came to Denver from Connecticut and lived in her car for 15 days. She received a three-day hotel voucher, she said, but hotel staff initially would not honor it. She did not name the hotel. She said staff finally looked at her paperwork and gave her a room, but they wanted to charge her. for it. She said they initially weren’t going to allow her to stay because she has a service animal.

Ortega said another family arrived at the hotel when they did, and they also were denied a room. She said staff would not give them a room because they did not have certain immigration documents. Ortega said her husband felt bad for the family and gave them some chicken. She said hotel management began to harass her husband for interacting with the turned-away family.

To Denver from Venezuela via New York

Henry Aguilar said he came to Denver from Venezuela via a stop in New York. He said he experienced discrimination there, too. He also has a service dog, he said, and was mistreated by hotel security in Denver. He did not name the hotel. Aguilar said he is trying to provide for his pregnant wife and 11-year-old son.

He said he is glad the hotel has cameras that caught the incident on tape. He said the hotel has “gone too far” and discriminates against immigrant guests.

“Thank you for your support,” he told the council. “We all have our issues and we’re not perfect.” He said he has a work permit and is trying to find permanent employment, which is proving difficult.

The council does not respond to remarks made during public comment time.