US Hotel Chain Hilton Banned ICE Agents, Then Backed Down Amid Corporate Pressure
In a remarkable display of corporate spinelessness, the US hotel chain Hilton recently banned ICE agents from staying at one of its Minnesota locations, only to backtrack and reverse the decision in the face of pressure from corporate headquarters.
The initial ban was reported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday, which claimed that "HiltonHotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement." However, an investigation by The Intercept revealed that this claim was entirely false. Behind the DHS's claims was likely a story of resistance from workers and local operators at a specific Hilton franchise, who refused to accommodate ICE agents.
The incident began when ICE agents attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, but were met with cancellations by hotel staff. A screenshot of an email allegedly sent by the Hampton Inn Lakeville front office manager appeared online, stating that "we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property."
However, within hours of the initial claim, both Hilton and Everpeak Hospitality, the independently owned and operated company behind the hotel, released statements condemning the reported cancellations and affirming their willingness to serve the immigration agents.
"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," said a statement from Hilton. Everpeak also stated 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."
The DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected the company's claim, posting on X that DHS had not heard anything from them. Hilton then announced that it would be cutting ties with the hotel after far-right influencer Nick Sortor posted a video online, which appears to show a worker at the front desk confirming that the hotel is maintaining the policy to deny rooms to immigration agents.
The incident highlights the ongoing struggle between corporate interests and human rights, as well as the vulnerability of workers who refuse to comply with policies that go against their values. It also underscores the need for greater accountability from corporations like Hilton, which often prioritize profit over principle.
In a related story, a Minneapolis hotel was taken over by activists during Trump's first term, providing temporary housing for unhoused people and others in need. The incident, known as the "Share-a-ton," was seen as a brief but significant example of resistance against state violence.
As The Intercept has reported, this kind of resistance is essential to building a movement that can challenge the authoritarian takeover of the US government under Trump's leadership. By supporting workers who refuse to comply with policies that harm marginalized communities, we can build a more just and equitable society.
In a remarkable display of corporate spinelessness, the US hotel chain Hilton recently banned ICE agents from staying at one of its Minnesota locations, only to backtrack and reverse the decision in the face of pressure from corporate headquarters.
The initial ban was reported by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday, which claimed that "HiltonHotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement." However, an investigation by The Intercept revealed that this claim was entirely false. Behind the DHS's claims was likely a story of resistance from workers and local operators at a specific Hilton franchise, who refused to accommodate ICE agents.
The incident began when ICE agents attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, but were met with cancellations by hotel staff. A screenshot of an email allegedly sent by the Hampton Inn Lakeville front office manager appeared online, stating that "we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property."
However, within hours of the initial claim, both Hilton and Everpeak Hospitality, the independently owned and operated company behind the hotel, released statements condemning the reported cancellations and affirming their willingness to serve the immigration agents.
"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," said a statement from Hilton. Everpeak also stated 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."
The DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected the company's claim, posting on X that DHS had not heard anything from them. Hilton then announced that it would be cutting ties with the hotel after far-right influencer Nick Sortor posted a video online, which appears to show a worker at the front desk confirming that the hotel is maintaining the policy to deny rooms to immigration agents.
The incident highlights the ongoing struggle between corporate interests and human rights, as well as the vulnerability of workers who refuse to comply with policies that go against their values. It also underscores the need for greater accountability from corporations like Hilton, which often prioritize profit over principle.
In a related story, a Minneapolis hotel was taken over by activists during Trump's first term, providing temporary housing for unhoused people and others in need. The incident, known as the "Share-a-ton," was seen as a brief but significant example of resistance against state violence.
As The Intercept has reported, this kind of resistance is essential to building a movement that can challenge the authoritarian takeover of the US government under Trump's leadership. By supporting workers who refuse to comply with policies that harm marginalized communities, we can build a more just and equitable society.
. Like, one minute they're banning ICE agents from staying at their hotel, the next they're apologizing for some employees saying no? It just feels like corporate pressure took over and, honestly, I kinda get why they'd back down 
. But still, it's a shame because, on the surface, it did seem like Hilton was trying to stand up against ICE's policies 
. Guess we'll just have to see how this whole thing plays out 
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, i mean on one hand you got these hotel staff refusing to book rooms for ICE agents, which i guess is kinda admirable in a weird way... but then hilton comes along and suddenly reverses the decision due to "corporate pressure" - it's like they're trying to cover their own tracks 
like hilton starts off being all cool and refuses to let ice agents stay at one of their hotels but then corporate comes along and makes them backtrack its like they're afraid of the wrong people 
corporate pressure is a real thing, especially when you have powerful far-right influencers getting involved
i mean i feel for the workers who refused to let ICE agents stay but at the same time i'm disappointed that Hilton gave in so easily. 
it's all about the benjamins at the end of the day. 
. It feels like they were trying to send a message of support for the resistance against ICE agents, but then got cold feet because corporate pressure came knocking 
. It's like they were trying to avoid any bad PR or something, rather than standing up for what they claimed was important in the first place. And now we're left with this weird situation where a hotel is basically saying it's okay to deny service to immigration agents, but only if you book through a certain method 
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. Maybe it'll serve as a wake-up call for other companies to take a closer look at their own values and priorities 
.
anyway, it's a good reminder that we need more people speaking out and holding corporations accountable for their actions. 
. its like, no one talks about this stuff anymore... we need more people to speak out against corporate greed and for human rights 
also, i'm loving the "share-a-ton" story from minneapolis - that's some serious resistance and community love 
but not before they got a kick in the pants 
from corporate pressure 
IT'S LIKE, YEAH CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IS ALL ABOUT PROFIT OVER PEOPLE, BUT WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE THOSE HOTEL WORKERS WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEAK OUT AND SAY NO TO POLICIES THAT GO AGAINST THEIR VALUES!!! 
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this whole thing is so messed up... corporate america always puts profits over people 
it's like they were waiting for someone to tell them what to do all along 
.
dude is a real piece of work 
. But seriously though, it's time for these corporations to step up and take some responsibility for their actions 
. We need more people like those front desk workers who are willing to stand up for what they believe in 
about Hilton refusing service to ICE agents just to get attention. I mean, if you've got a problem with someone, be honest about it instead of making something up 
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and corporations getting called out for their actions 
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... Hilton's about face after some right wing troll got on their case 
is so not cool 
and not shamed 
... need more people speaking out against these kinds of policies and supporting the marginalized 
It's a slippery slope, folks. We need more accountability from these big companies and a willingness to take a stand against injustice, even if it means facing some backlash