Hilton Hotels removes Minneapolis hotel after DHS, ICE ban

Hilton Hotels It said Tuesday it would cut ties with a Minneapolis-area franchise hotel after a new video showed a receptionist there refusing to book a room for a person claiming to be a Department of Homeland Security agent.

Hilton’s statement came a day after the company that owns the location. Everpeak HospitalityIt apologized for canceling advance bookings for real DHS agents because of their work on immigration enforcement, saying such a ban was not consistent with its policy of “being a welcoming place for all.”

“The independent hotel owner has assured us that he has resolved this issue and has issued a message confirming this,” Hilton said. he said. expression Tuesday on social media site X, also in a statement sent to CNBC by a spokesperson.

“A recently released video clearly highlights concerns that they do not meet our standards and values,” Hilton said. “Therefore, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems.”

“Hilton is and has always been a place that welcomes everyone,” the statement said. “We are also communicating with all of our franchisees to reinforce the standards we apply to them across our system to ensure this does not happen again.”

The statement was published hours after the conservative independent journalist tweeted Nick SorterOn Monday night — just hours after Everpeak apologized — video showed him visiting the Hampton Inn by Hilton Lakeview Minneapolis and trying to reserve 10 rooms for what Sortor said were DHS employees.

“So we do not accept people from Immigration Service, ICE agents, and DHS onto our property,” the clerk said. “It’s just our management, our ownership.”

When Sortor said he thought the policy changed “today” (Monday), the clerk replied: “I just talked to the owner of the building and he didn’t say there was any change.”

“Yes, it’s just politics,” the clerk said.

“I’m new here too,” the clerk said, then repeated that he wasn’t aware of any policy changes and offered to speak with the owner.

When the officer returned, he said that he could not reach anyone in charge because it was late.

Sortor posted his video on X on Tuesday morning.

“BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: I went to the Minnesota Hilton who ‘apologized’ for banning DHS agents and EXPOSED them for CONTINUING to ban DHS agents,” Sortor wrote.

“CANCEL THEIR LICENSES, HILTON, OR YOU WILL BE MONEY. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. This is an INCREDIBLY stupid war to choose from!” Sorter wrote.

CNBC tried to reach someone at the Hampton Inn Lakeview Minneapolis on Tuesday morning, but no one answered calls there.

Many of the more than 9,000 properties affiliated with Hilton and its brands are operated by franchisees.

Minneapolis has come under fire from the Trump administration, which has accused the Somali community of committing a series of frauds against federal programs.

“Minnesota is a hellhole right now. Somalis have to get out of here. They destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain,” President Donald Trump said in early December.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a tweet on December 29: “Homeland Security Investigations @ICEGov They are currently conducting a major investigation into child care and other common scams in Minneapolis. More to come.”

On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz abandoned his plan to seek a third term, citing fraud investigations and the Trump administration’s focus on immigrants in the state.

“Every minute I spend defending my own political interests is a minute I cannot spend defending the people of Minnesota against criminals who prey on our generosity and cynics who prey on our differences,” said Walz, who is the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2024.

In a statement on the official government X account on Monday, DHS criticized Hilton for the first instance of an Everpeak property preventing immigration officials from staying in the area.

“THERE IS NO ROOM IN THE HANDE!” DHS said at the time. “Hilton Hotels In Minneapolis, DHS launched a coordinated campaign to REFUSE law enforcement services.”

“When officials attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELED their reservations,” DHS said. “This is UNACCEPTABLE. Why are Hilton Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and hinder the mission of DHS law enforcement to enforce our nation’s immigration laws?”

DHS’s tweet also included screenshots of emails from the hotel.

“We noticed an influx of GOV bookings for DHS today and do not allow any ICE or immigration agents to remain at our facility,” the message said. “If you are at DHS or immigration, let us know because we will have to cancel your reservation.”

“This hotel is independently owned and operated and these actions do not reflect Hilton values,” Hilton Hotels said in a response to DHS’s tweet on Monday.

“We contacted the hotel directly and apologized for their team’s behavior that was not in line with their policies. They took immediate action to resolve this matter and are contacting affected guests to ensure their stay. Hilton’s position is clear: Our properties are open to everyone and we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” the statement said.

Everpeak Hospitality, the company that operates the Hampton Inn Lakeview Minneapolis, said in a statement Monday: “Everpeak Hospitality took swift action to address this matter because it is inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all.

“We are in contact with affected guests to ensure their accommodation. We do not discriminate against any person or organization and apologize to those affected,” Everpeak said. “We are committed to welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards, applicable laws and our role as a professional accommodation provider.”