Hilton removes hotel from systems after video shows refusal to book rooms for DHS in Minnesota
“We do not discriminate against any individuals or agencies and apologize to those impacted,” Everpeak Hospitality said
Hilton said Tuesday that it is removing a Minnesota hotel from its systems after a video showed that the franchisee continued to deny rooms to the Department of Homeland Security despite publicly apologizing for canceling agents' booking accommodations.
“The independent hotel owner had assured us that they had fixed this problem and published a message confirming this. A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values,” Hilton posted on X on Tuesday. “As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems. Hilton is – and has always been – a welcoming place for all.
"We are also engaging with all of our franchisees to reinforce the standards we hold them to across our system to help ensure this does not happen again."
The statement follows conservative commentator Nick Sortor posting a video on X on Tuesday of him visiting the Hampton Inn Lakeville near Minneapolis and attempting to book accommodations on Monday night while posing as a representative from DHS.
”Even the FRONT DESK manager said he had spoken with the owner shortly before I walked in around 10:50pm, and confirmed the ANTI-DHS POLICY REMAINED IN EFFECT,” Sortor wrote. “REVOKE THEIR LICENSE, HILTON, OR IT’S GOING TO COST YOU DEARLY. YOU’VE BEEN WARNED. This is an INCREDIBLY dumb battle to choose!”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin shared Sortor's video on X on Tuesday, writing, "Worth noting this occurred many hours after Everpeak Hospitality and @HiltonHotels issued statements insisting this issue was resolved."
The hotel on Monday apologized after its staff refused rooms to DHS agents as 2,000 of them have been deployed to the state in connection with a fraud investigation.
"When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations," DHS posted on X on Monday. "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?"
One of the screenshots of emails with the hotel reads, “we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property.”
Everpeak Hospitality, the company overseeing the hotel in Lakeville, Minn., just south of Minneapolis, apologized for the cancellation in a statement on Monday, saying that it had contacted the agents to “ensure they are accommodated,” according to the news outlet NOTUS.
“We do not discriminate against any individuals or agencies and apologize to those impacted,” Everpeak Hospitality said. “We are committed to welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards, applicable laws, and our role as a professional hospitality provider.”
A Hilton spokesperson told NOTUS on Monday that the hotel is independently owned and operated, and the cancellations do not reflect the company’s values.
“This hotel is independently owned and operated, and these actions were not reflective of Hilton values,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“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 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.”
McLaughlin posted on X on Monday, "I wonder how Everpeak Hospitality has 'moved swiftly to address this matter' when @DHSgov and @ICEgov haven’t heard anything from them?"
The hotel booking issues come as DHS deployed as many as 2,000 agents on Sunday for a month to Minnesota's Twin Cities, according to a CBS News report citing a law enforcement source.
The deployment comes amid welfare fraud cases involving Somali residents of the state. There are about 79,000 Somalis in Minnesota, many of whom live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region and have recently been targeted by DHS, NOTUS reported.
A DHS spokesperson confirmed the deployment to NOTUS on Monday and said the operation has already resulted in many arrests.
“While for the safety of our officers we do not get into law enforcement footprint, DHS has surged law enforcement and has already made more than 1,000 arrests of murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and gang members,” McLaughlin said.
The White House on Monday boasted about its efforts in Minnesota to “crush” fraud in the state, which included freezing child care payments and investigating several areas of possible fraud related to small businesses, labor, SNAP, and public housing.
Last week, Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that 98 Minnesotans have already been charged in fraud-related cases.
“The Trump Administration is employing a whole-of-government approach to address the rampant fraud that Tim Walz has allowed to plague Minnesota,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told NOTUS. “Hardworking Minnesotans shouldn’t have to watch their tax dollars be funneled into Somali scams thanks to their corrupt Governor. As President Trump said, no one is above the law.”
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday dropped his reelection bid for a third term amid the fraud scandal.