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By Dan Gooding and Jason Lemon
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President Donald Trump's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Hilton Hotels of refusing rooms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, describing it as a "coordinated campaign" against DHS law enforcement in Minneapolis.
In a post on X Monday, DHS shared screenshots it said were from Hilton Hotels, in which staff refused to book rooms for federal agents linked with immigration enforcement efforts in the area.
"When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Why is Hilton Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and impede DHS law enforcement from their mission to enforce our nation’s immigration laws?" DHS wrote on its official X account.
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Hilton responded to the post, initially telling Newsweek it was investigating the emails, before later updating to say the hotel in question had apologized.
"This hotel is independently owned and operated, and these actions were not reflective of Hilton values," a Hilton spokesperson told Newsweek. "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. They have taken immediate action to resolve this matter. Hilton’s position is clear: Our properties are open to everyone and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”
The company running the Hilton hotel, Everpeak Hospitality, said the emails were inconsistent with its policies.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has faced pushback from local leaders and businesses in areas where federal agents have been surged to tackle illegal immigration, including in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. Minneapolis is the latest city DHS is focused on, primarily due to alleged fraud committed by Somali nationals in the area—many of whom have been residents for years, if not decades.
What To Know
The emails shared on Monday, with redacted personal details, appeared to show Hilton employees explaining that they had researched who was set to stay in their hotel rooms, found them to be federal agents linked to immigration operations, and cancelled the bookings.
One email read, in part: "We are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property." It was not immediately clear which Hilton property was connected to the email.
DHS's post sparked outrage among some on social media, with multiple users on X saying they would never stay at a Hilton-branded hotel again.
Hilton generally operates on a franchise model, meaning the company does not necessarily get involved in day-to-day operations.
In past years, the company has emphasized that it wants to welcome immigrants and has had a policy of employing refugees. A statement in 2020 emphasized that Hilton did not support the detention of immigrants at its properties, after reports that agents had used rooms to house immigrants, including minors, in Texas.
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What People Are Saying
Everpeak Hospitality, in a statement shared online: "Everpeak Hospitality has moved swiftly to address this matter as it was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all. We are in touch with the impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated. We do not discriminate against any individuals or agencies and apologize to those impacted. We are committed to welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards, applicable laws, and our role as a professional hospitality provider."
Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet, on X: "This is blatant discrimination against federal law enforcement that panders to the radical left while betraying American security. The next step is clear: Either Hilton condemns this, apologizes, and reverses course in Minnesota or we boycott Hilton Hotels."
David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, on X: "Hilton is a rational business like any other, and it should be free to provide service or not to anyone it pleases. DHS is free to book elsewhere. Glad there is freedom somewhere in this great nation of ours."
What Happens Next
The apparent refusal to house federal agents came as CBS reported that DHS was about to send 2,000 agents into Minneapolis, as part of its immigration crackdown and fraud probe. The 30-day surge across the Twin Cities would be the first major operation for the department in 2026.
As with similar operations, agents have been drafted from across the U.S. to assist. So far in the region, some 700 arrests have been made, per DHS figures.
Update 1/5/26, 3:17 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Hilton.
Update 1/5/26, 5:50 p.m. ET: This article was updated with another statement from Hilton.
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