The Department of Homeland Security publicly accused a Hilton-branded hotel in Minnesota of deliberately cancelling room reservations for federal immigration officers, escalating a dispute that has drawn corporate headquarters, franchise operators and immigration enforcement agencies into a highly charged confrontation.
DHS said the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville, Minn., cancelled reservations made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers because of their immigration work, prompting the agency to accuse the hotel of actively obstructing law-enforcement operations. The allegation was posted on DHS's official social-media account, alongside screenshots of what the agency described as internal hotel emails.
"When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations," DHS wrote, calling the conduct "UNACCEPTABLE" and alleging a "coordinated campaign" against DHS personnel.
One of the emails shared by DHS stated that the property had "noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS" and added that the hotel would not allow ICE or immigration officers to stay at the property. A subsequent message referenced online research into a guest's professional background and informed the recipient that the reservation had been cancelled.
ICE echoed the accusation in a separate post, asking Hilton directly, "why did your team in Minneapolis cancel our federal law enforcement officer and agents' reservations?" Screenshots of the same correspondence were included, though portions of the emails and sender information were redacted. ABC News reported it could not independently verify the authenticity of the messages based on the publicly released images.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings responded by distancing itself from the incident, emphasizing that the Lakeville Hampton Inn is independently owned and operated. A Hilton spokesperson said the company had "been in direct contact with the hotel," adding that the property had apologized for actions "which was not in keeping with their policies."
The spokesperson said Hilton's hotels are intended to "serve as welcoming places for all" and that the company does not tolerate discrimination. Hilton said it was working to resolve the issue with the affected guests.
Everpeak Hospitality, the franchise operator of the Lakeville property, also issued a statement describing the cancellation as "inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all." The company said it was taking steps to accommodate displaced guests and denied any intent to discriminate against federal personnel.
The episode highlights the structural tension inherent in franchise hotel models, where brand standards coexist with local operational control. While franchisees maintain authority over day-to-day decisions, high-profile disputes can expose parent companies to reputational and legal scrutiny, particularly when federal agencies are involved.
The dispute comes amid heightened immigration enforcement activity in Minnesota, where DHS has recently increased deployments of ICE and Homeland Security Investigations agents tied to fraud and immigration cases in the Twin Cities region. Those operations have sparked protests and political backlash in parts of the state, including demonstrations outside hotels previously used to house federal officers.
The controversy quickly spilled into financial markets and social media. Hilton shares fell about 1.5% in afternoon trading following the DHS post, according to market data, while online calls for boycotts and counter-boycotts spread across multiple platforms.
