Hilton is stripping an independently run Minneapolis hotel of its branding rights after the property barred immigration agents and was later accused of falsely claiming it had reversed the decision. The hotel has since faced backlash, with calls for a total boycott.
The backlash came swiftly on Monday after Homeland Security released an email showing that the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville had informed the agency it was canceling hotel reservations made for agents preparing for an immigration enforcement operation. "The independent hotel owner had assured us that they had fixed this problem and published a message confirming this," read a statement from Hilton posted on X Tuesday morning.
No Tolerance Policy
"As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems," the statement added. The statement also referenced a video posted by conservative influencer Nick Sortor, who visited the hotel and was told by a front desk employee that bookings under DHS or ICE were not allowed under management's orders — even though the hotel's operator, Everpeak Hotels, had issued a statement just hours earlier claiming otherwise.
"We're not accepting people from immigration, ICE agents, DHS onto our property ... it's just policy," the clerk told Sortor in the video on X viewed nearly 2 million times.
The cancellation comes after DHS on Monday said that Hilton intentionally worked to block its agents from staying at one of the company's hotels near Minneapolis, accusing the global chain of running a "coordinated campaign" to cancel room bookings as immigration enforcement efforts ramp up in the area.
In posts shared on X on Monday, DHS included screenshots that show emails sent from a Hilton address telling the agency that immigration agents were not permitted to stay at the Hampton Inn in Lakeville, a suburb just south of Minneapolis.
"After further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and we will be cancelling your upcoming reservation. You should see a proper cancellation email in your inbox shortly from Hilton," one email reads. DHS redacted names in the screenshots.
"We have noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation," another email says.
DHS Furious
The Lakeville Hilton location is not run directly by the company, but is independently owned and operated by Everpeak Hospitality. The hotel which said in a statement on its website that the incident "was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all," and that they are "in touch with the impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated."
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin pushed back on that claim, saying in a post on X Monday night that neither DHS nor ICE has been contacted by Everpeak Hospitality.
"We have been in direct contact with the hotel, and they have apologized for the actions of their team, which was not in keeping with their policies," Hilton said in a statement to CNN on Monday.
"They have taken immediate action to resolve this matter and are contacting impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated. Hilton's position is clear: Our properties are open to everyone and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination."
On Tuesday, Hilton released a fresh statement saying it had grown more concerned that the Lakeville property was "not meeting our standards," prompting the company to take "immediate action" to remove the hotel from its system.
