Hilton Hotels removed a Minnesota Hampton Inn from its corporate network Tuesday after the independently owned property canceled reservations for federal immigration enforcement agents, prompting accusations from the Department of Homeland Security and a subsequent investigation.
The controversy began when DHS posted screenshots Monday on social media showing emails dated Jan. 2 from the Hampton Inn Lakeville property, located in a suburb south of Minneapolis. The emails stated the hotel was not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at the property.
One email read that after further investigation online, the hotel found information about immigration work connected with the reservation holder’s name and would be canceling the upcoming reservation. Another email instructed recipients to pass along to coworkers that the hotel was not allowing immigration agents to house on the property.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the cancellations unacceptable and described them as a coordinated campaign to refuse service to law enforcement officers.
Hilton initially distanced itself from the actions, stating the hotel was independently owned and operated and the actions were not reflective of Hilton values. The company said it was investigating the matter and had been in direct contact with the hotel, which apologized for the actions of its team.
However, following a video posted Monday night by a conservative influencer that appeared to show hotel staff still confirming an anti-DHS policy despite the apology, Hilton announced Tuesday it was removing the property from its network.
The hotel is owned and operated by Everpeak Hospitality, which released a statement saying the incident was inconsistent with its policy of being a welcoming place for all and that the company is in touch with impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated.
McLaughlin rejected Everpeak’s statement, writing on social media Monday evening that DHS and ICE had not heard from the company.
The incident occurred as DHS has been conducting what it calls Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities, bringing additional ICE agents to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Hotels in the region faced protests last month as the operation moved forward.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined faith leaders last month to speak about growing concerns over the increasing ICE presence in Minnesota during the holidays.
ICE has been making arrests in areas with large Somali immigrant populations in Minnesota. DHS described Minneapolis as a hotbed for criminal illegal alien activity.
Some legal experts suggested the hotel’s actions could potentially violate federal law. Title 18 U.S. Code Section 111 prohibits interference with federal immigration operations, though whether the hotel’s reservation cancellations would meet that legal standard remains unclear.
Hilton Hotels faced criticism from conservative commentators and politicians following the initial DHS allegations. The company’s stock price fell briefly Monday following the controversy.
In its Tuesday statement removing the hotel from its network, Hilton said the company is and has always been a welcoming place for all, and it is engaging with all franchisees to reinforce standards across its system to help ensure similar incidents do not happen again.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement agencies and some local communities that have declared themselves sanctuary cities or expressed opposition to federal immigration operations.
Lakeville is located approximately 25 miles south of Minneapolis.
