A union representing thousands of lobby workers wants Southern California hotels and stadiums to refrain from hosting immigration agents as guests on their properties.
In a letter sent to dozens of local hotels, stadiums and airline vendors on Monday, Unite Here Local 11 said that in the wake of the unrest and violence in Minneapolis – where federal agents were involved in the murder of two American citizens – the presence of migrant workers can be a real threat to hospitality workers and tourists alike.
The letter comes ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is expected to become part of the “total security apparatus,” according to comments by the agency’s acting director, Todd Lyons, at a conference hearing in February.
Ana Mendez, 43, who has worked as a waitress at the JW Marriott for 15 years, said the events in Minneapolis have scared the workers, most of whom are immigrants, and have begun to worry about even going to work during the upcoming World Cup.
“We know that ICE is not just here to enforce the law, they are violent, they are violent, they kill members of the community … anything can happen,” said Mendez. “The whole industry needs to understand that we can’t put our lives at risk. Money is important, our jobs are important, but our health and safety is more important. We need to make sure we get back to our families.”
The union said in its letter that its labor contracts include the right to a safe workplace, and that the presence of ICE or US Border Patrol agents on or near the premises constitutes “unusually dangerous conditions” that give rise to workers’ right to refuse to work. The contracts also prohibit employers from allowing immigration agents into their properties without permission, the letter said.
“We want to be clear,” the letter said. “If ICE or similar law enforcement agents are present in or near your facility, employees should be allowed to leave or refuse to report to work without retaliation.”
In addition to the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by agents in Minneapolis earlier this year, the book notes the killing of Keith Porter in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve by an off-duty ICE agent. It cites reports from its members of “violent and frightening incidents in their communities” – including arrests of legal and civilian citizens – and “abhorrent” conditions in detention facilities. The book notes that protests were held last summer outside hotels in Pasadena and other places in LA County that were federal agents.
“When hotels are used to house ICE or Border Patrol, employees may face situations that include an armed state presence, protests and law enforcement responses that can escalate quickly,” the letter reads. “Our members – your employees – should not be forced to be exposed to violence, trauma, and security risks.”
The union sent the letter to more than 200 employers throughout Southern California and Arizona with labor contracts covering more than 32,000 workers.
The American Hotel and Lodging Assn., a hospitality industry group, did not comment on whether its Southern California members planned to comply with the union’s demands.
“As places of public accommodation, hotels play a unique role in their communities and focus on the safety and well-being of their employees, guests, and the community at large. Hotel owners are committed to working with care, competence and respect in the communities in which they operate,” the organization said in a statement.
Hotel Assn. of Los Angeles did not respond to a request for comment. Several hotels and stadiums, including SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which is set to be LA’s venue for the World Cup, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This is not the first time LA hospitality workers have sought protection from federal agents.
In contract negotiations with several hotels during a major strike that began in 2023, Unite Here Local 11 successfully pushed for provisions barring employers from using E-Verify, the organization’s long-standing computer-based system that makes it easier for employers to identify and reject unauthorized immigrant job seekers.
In early 2025, shortly after Trump took office for his second term, Unite Here Local 11 sent a letter supported by thousands of hotel workers urging their employers to ask Congress and the president to preserve and extend temporary authorization programs for immigrants seeking asylum and recipients of the Obama-Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals DACA program.
In December, arena workers delivered hundreds of petitions urging the Crypto.com Arena to call on LA28 and the International Olympic Committee to commit to keeping immigration agents out of Olympic venues and events.
Last month, workers at Universal Studios Hollywood – including those who work in food services, warehouses and as drivers, actors and tour guides – held a meeting at CityWalk where they called on NBCUniversal to implement “protections against immigration enforcement in the park and to take public action to ensure the safety and dignity of employees and guests.” Contract negotiations are ongoing, and Universal Studios did not respond to a request for comment on the action.
