US Hotel Chain Hilton Suddenly Finds Its Values When ICE Agents Try to Stay
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security took to its official X account on Monday to express outrage over a supposed coordinated campaign by the multibillion-dollar company, which allegedly refused service to DHS agents at one of its hotels in Minneapolis.
According to DHS's post, Hilton Hotels maliciously cancelled the reservations of ICE officers who attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates. However, an investigation reveals that there was no such coordinated campaign, but rather a simple incident involving workers at a specific Hampton Inn property — independently owned by Everpeak Hospitality — which refused to accommodate the immigration agents based on company policy.
Despite initial claims from DHS that Hilton had taken a stand against Trump administration's deportation machine, it seems that only one location in Minneapolis did so. The vast majority of the chain and its management have publicly stated their willingness to serve ICE officers and provide them with accommodations.
In fact, following the unsubstantiated claims made by far-right provocateurs about Minnesota's Somali community committing welfare fraud, Trump sent over 2,000 immigration agents to Minneapolis, sparking outrage among local residents and businesses. While some have come forward to resist the presence of these agents, others remain silent due to fear of retribution.
The lack of resistance from a major hotel chain like Hilton is not surprising given its history of collaborating with ICE and other law enforcement agencies. Hospitality giants have long been eager to accommodate the deportation machine, even permitting the use of hotel rooms as temporary holding cells for immigrant families prior to deportation.
However, there are instances of local resistance taking place at smaller hotels and institutions. For example, in 2020, an activist-led takeover of a Minneapolis Sheraton hotel provided temporary shelter to unhoused people during the protests against police brutality following George Floyd's murder.
This incident serves as a reminder that acts of defiance may seem insignificant but can collectively create cracks through which a different future illuminates our present. While powerful corporations often prioritize their interests over democracy and public welfare, there are those who continue to push back against authoritarian forces — and it is crucial we support them.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security took to its official X account on Monday to express outrage over a supposed coordinated campaign by the multibillion-dollar company, which allegedly refused service to DHS agents at one of its hotels in Minneapolis.
According to DHS's post, Hilton Hotels maliciously cancelled the reservations of ICE officers who attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates. However, an investigation reveals that there was no such coordinated campaign, but rather a simple incident involving workers at a specific Hampton Inn property — independently owned by Everpeak Hospitality — which refused to accommodate the immigration agents based on company policy.
Despite initial claims from DHS that Hilton had taken a stand against Trump administration's deportation machine, it seems that only one location in Minneapolis did so. The vast majority of the chain and its management have publicly stated their willingness to serve ICE officers and provide them with accommodations.
In fact, following the unsubstantiated claims made by far-right provocateurs about Minnesota's Somali community committing welfare fraud, Trump sent over 2,000 immigration agents to Minneapolis, sparking outrage among local residents and businesses. While some have come forward to resist the presence of these agents, others remain silent due to fear of retribution.
The lack of resistance from a major hotel chain like Hilton is not surprising given its history of collaborating with ICE and other law enforcement agencies. Hospitality giants have long been eager to accommodate the deportation machine, even permitting the use of hotel rooms as temporary holding cells for immigrant families prior to deportation.
However, there are instances of local resistance taking place at smaller hotels and institutions. For example, in 2020, an activist-led takeover of a Minneapolis Sheraton hotel provided temporary shelter to unhoused people during the protests against police brutality following George Floyd's murder.
This incident serves as a reminder that acts of defiance may seem insignificant but can collectively create cracks through which a different future illuminates our present. While powerful corporations often prioritize their interests over democracy and public welfare, there are those who continue to push back against authoritarian forces — and it is crucial we support them.
It's amusing that the US Department of Homeland Security is suddenly concerned about hotels refusing service to ICE agents, considering they've been trying to demonize certain communities for years. Meanwhile, a single Hampton Inn property in Minneapolis stood up against this incident, which isn't exactly a coordinated campaign but rather an isolated worker refusing to accommodate immigration agents based on company policy 
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. On a more positive note, it's heartening to see that there are smaller hotels and institutions continuing to resist authoritarian forces, providing shelter and support to marginalized communities 
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. I mean, the whole thing with the ICE agents at that Hampton Inn... it's just so sad. I feel bad for the workers who refused to accommodate those agents because of company policy 
. I get where they're coming from - you don't want to be complicit in something that might be causing harm.
. Can't we just focus on finding solutions to our problems instead of making a big deal out of this?
. Like that activist-led takeover of the Sheraton hotel back in 2020 - now that was something to be proud of! It just goes to show that even small acts of defiance can make a difference when we all work together.
. And we need to support them in any way we can, whether it's with our business or just by spreading awareness about what's going on.
. Like, if a hotel chain can't even handle a few ICE agents trying to book rooms, how's that gonna scale up for the actual problems they're supposed to be solving? And honestly, I'm still not buying into all the outrage about this one incident - it sounds like just another example of people making a mountain out of a molehill. And let's be real, if some activist-led takeover at a Sheraton hotel is gonna make all that difference, then so can some major corporations doing the right thing for once 
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anywayz, cant say im surprised cuz we all no how hospitality industry treats ppl of color & immigrants like dirt 
. on the bright side, i loved learnin bout that Sheraton takeover in 2020 
hope more ppl keep pushin back against ICE & other bad dudes 
They've worked with ICE and other law enforcement agencies, so it doesn't exactly add up.
