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A viral post on X has stirred a row among Ohio residents, claiming that a hefty $1.677 million Small Business Administration (SBA) loan went to Indian hotel owners. This raised questions over how American taxpayer dollars are spent amid rising property taxes in the state.The user wrote: "Here's where your Ohio tax dollars are going. SBA Loan $1,677,000 for Indian hoteliers." They attached screenshots that appear to show federal spending records from sites like USAspending.gov, linking the firm to properties like the Microtel Inn & Suites in Cambridge. Ownership records indicate links to the Patel family, a name commonly associated with Indian-American hotel ownership.
This isn't an isolated case. Indian-Americans have long dominated the US hotel industry, owning about 60 per cent of all hotels nationwide, according to the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA).
That's over 34,000 properties, many built through community networks, family savings, and SBA loans accessible to eligible immigrants. From the 1970s onwards, immigrants from Gujarat in India began buying struggling motels across the United States and running them as family businesses. Over time, this model grew into a major part of the hospitality industry, contributing billions to the American economy. However, MAGA activists argue that some loan programmes favour newcomers over local buyers.
Social media questions how these loans could be legal. "SBA loans are for small American businesses, not already established corporations. Why is this legal?," asked one user.The person who shared the post replied: "Good question. They also took a lot of PPP. I have verified yet but this group operates nationally, notably Washington from what I'm finding."Another user claimed: "Indian nationals own almost all gas stations & several hotels in NY."To which they replied: "We were sold out."
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