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Couple denied motel room after clerk says Puerto Rican driver's license is not U.S. ID

Motel 6 has since apologized to couple, admitted mistake

Couple denied motel room after clerk says Puerto Rican driver's license is not U.S. ID

Motel 6 has since apologized to couple, admitted mistake

WEBVTT CONFUSING SITUATION. TO THE FAMILY TOOK OFF FROM PUERTO RICO EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING. WHEN THEY FINALLY REACHED THE LOBBY OF THIS RANCHO CORDOVA MOTEL 6, THEIR LONG DAY GOT LONGER. >> I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY’VE EVER REJECTED MY LICENSE. I WAS SURPRISED. I WAS LIKE, WHY? TOM: RAUL VILLANUEVA SAYS TO VERIFY HIS RESERVATION, HE NEEDED TO SHOW I.D., BUT THE EMPLOYEE DIDN’T ACCEPT HIS PUERTO RICO DRIVER’S LICENSE. >> I SAID THIS IS A LICENSE FROM UNITED STATES, THAT’S PUERTO RICO. PUERTO RICO IS UNITED STATES. SHE SAID NO, IT ISN’T. TOM: THE WOMAN WORKING THE FRONT DESK THEN ASKED FOR HIS PASSPORT AND HIS WIFE’S, WHICH HE RELUCTANTLY RETRIEVED. >> SHE WOULDN’T TAKE THE PASSPORTS AFTER ALL. WHEN I BROUGHT THEM SHE SAID NO , I WON’T TAKE IT, I WON’T TAKE THAT. SO I SAID OK, THEN GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK. >> I THOUGHT SHE WAS AN IDIOT TO BE FRANK ABOUT IT. TOM: JORGE ACOSTA IS THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE AND CALLED THE CORPORATE OFFICE TODAY. HE SAYS THEY ADMITTED THEIR MISTAKE. >> THEY APOLOGIZED BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT PUERTO RICO IS IN THEIR LIST OF ACCEPTED I.D.’S. TOM: WE REACHED OUT TO MOTEL 6 BUT NEVER HEARD BACK. ON THE COMPANIY’S WEBSITE, IT SAYS ALL GUESTS REGISTERING MUST BE 18 OR OLDER AND MUST PRESENT PHOTO IDENTIFICATION UPON CHECK-IN. IT DOESN’T SAY WHERE THAT I.D. NEEDS TO COME FROM. AFTER DEALING WITH THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF HURRICANE MARIA LAST YEAR -- >> ONE WHOLE MONTH WITHOUT ELECTRICITY AND WATER. TOM: THE COUPLE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MUCH NEEDED VACATION. INSTEAD THEY SPENT THE BEGINNING OF IT TRYING TO PROVE THEY BELONG HERE. >> I CAME ALL THE WAY HERE TO HAVE FUN TO HAVE A NICE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY AND THEN A THING LIKE THIS THING HAPPENS, YOU KNOW.
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Couple denied motel room after clerk says Puerto Rican driver's license is not U.S. ID

Motel 6 has since apologized to couple, admitted mistake

A Puerto Rican couple visiting Sacramento County for their niece’s wedding said they were unable to check into a Rancho Cordova Motel 6 because the front desk clerk didn’t believe they had valid U.S. identification.When Raul Villanueva presented his Puerto Rico driver’s license late Wednesday night, the clerk told him, “Oh, you need a license from the United States,” he said.“I said, ‘This is a license from the United States, that’s Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is the United States.’ She said, ‘No, it isn’t,’” Villanueva recalled.Villanueva needed his ID in order to verify his reservation. The woman working at the front desk then asked for his and his wife’s passports, which he reluctantly retrieved.“She wouldn’t take the passports after all," Villanueva said. "When I brought them she said, ‘No, I won’t take it. I won’t take that.' So I said, ‘OK, then give me my money back.’” The couple called Motel 6’s corporate office Thursday and talked to a representative. The person apologized for the mistake and admitted Puerto Rican identification is on their list of accepted IDs."We sincerely apologize for this error and the inconvenience caused to the family," a Motel 6 spokesperson wrote in an email to KCRA.On the company’s website, it says, “All guests registering must be 18 years of age (19-21 years of age required at some locations) and must present photo identification upon check-in.” The policy doesn’t state that ID needs to be from the U.S. Following Hurricane Maria, the couple lived without power and running water for more than a month on the U.S. territory. They were looking forward to the wedding and vacation as a much-needed getaway.“I came all the way here to have fun, to have a nice time with our family," Villanueva said. "And then, a thing like this thing happen.” The couple ended up staying the night with a relative. They still haven’t received their money back from Motel 6.

A Puerto Rican couple visiting Sacramento County for their niece’s wedding said they were unable to check into a Rancho Cordova Motel 6 because the front desk clerk didn’t believe they had valid U.S. identification.

When Raul Villanueva presented his Puerto Rico driver’s license late Wednesday night, the clerk told him, “Oh, you need a license from the United States,” he said.

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“I said, ‘This is a license from the United States, that’s Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is the United States.’ She said, ‘No, it isn’t,’” Villanueva recalled.

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Villanueva needed his ID in order to verify his reservation. The woman working at the front desk then asked for his and his wife’s passports, which he reluctantly retrieved.

“She wouldn’t take the passports after all," Villanueva said. "When I brought them she said, ‘No, I won’t take it. I won’t take that.' So I said, ‘OK, then give me my money back.’”

The couple called Motel 6’s corporate office Thursday and talked to a representative. The person apologized for the mistake and admitted Puerto Rican identification is on their list of accepted IDs.

KCRA-TV

"We sincerely apologize for this error and the inconvenience caused to the family," a Motel 6 spokesperson wrote in an email to KCRA.

On the company’s website, it says, “All guests registering must be 18 years of age (19-21 years of age required at some locations) and must present photo identification upon check-in.”

The policy doesn’t state that ID needs to be from the U.S.

Following Hurricane Maria, the couple lived without power and running water for more than a month on the U.S. territory. They were looking forward to the wedding and vacation as a much-needed getaway.

“I came all the way here to have fun, to have a nice time with our family," Villanueva said. "And then, a thing like this thing happen.”

The couple ended up staying the night with a relative. They still haven’t received their money back from Motel 6.