The Trump administration has removed a hotel from the federal government’s approved lodging list after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were denied rooms during official travel, according to administration officials.
This measure prevents federal employees from using government funds for stays at the property and stems from what officials called non-compliance with federal lodging program standards. Sources indicated that hotels opting into the program are expected to serve authorized government personnel without discrimination.
The event has elicited mixed reactions in discussions about immigration enforcement and private business responsibilities: supporters maintain that refusing ICE agents disrupts federal operations, while critics assert that businesses should have the freedom to decide whom they serve, particularly in response to policy concerns.
Officials stressed that participation in the federal lodging list is voluntary but requires following program rules, describing the removal as a step to enforce those guidelines rather than political retribution.The decision underscores evolving relationships between the federal government and private sectors as immigration policies continue to generate national dialogue, impacting corporate choices and public discussions.
The Trump administration has removed a hotel from the federal government’s approved lodging list after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were denied rooms during official travel, according to administration officials.
This measure prevents federal employees from using government funds for stays at the property and stems from what officials called non-compliance with federal lodging program standards. Sources indicated that hotels opting into the program are expected to serve authorized government personnel without discrimination.
The event has elicited mixed reactions in discussions about immigration enforcement and private business responsibilities: supporters maintain that refusing ICE agents disrupts federal operations, while critics assert that businesses should have the freedom to decide whom they serve, particularly in response to policy concerns.
Officials stressed that participation in the federal lodging list is voluntary but requires following program rules, describing the removal as a step to enforce those guidelines rather than political retribution.The decision underscores evolving relationships between the federal government and private sectors as immigration policies continue to generate national dialogue, impacting corporate choices and public discussions.
Dept. of Homeland Security accuses hotel of canceling reservations for immigration agents
The hotel is independently owned by Everpeak Hospitality, which apologized.
January 6, 2026, 6:38 PM
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Dept. of Homeland Security accuses hotel of canceling rooms for immigration agentsThe Department of Homeland Security accused Hilton Hotels of canceling reservations for immigration law enforcement officials in Minnesota.
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
The Department of Homeland Security accused Hilton Hotels of canceling reservations for immigration law enforcement officials in Minnesota. But it later surfaced that the hotel is independently operated by a separate hospitality group, which apologized.
In a social media post on Monday, DHS shared redacted screenshots purporting to be of emails sent by a Hilton employee informing that they “are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property.”
“This email is in regards to the reservation you made with the Hampton Inn Lakeville property,” one email, appearing to be dated Jan. 2 at 12:45 p.m., says. “We have noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation.”
The screenshots have not been independently verified by ABC News, and it’s unclear who wrote the email because the sender is redacted.
“Please pass on this info to your coworkers that we are not allowing any immigration agents to house on our property,” the note says.
In a post, DHS accused Hilton of launching “a coordinated campaign” to refuse service to DHS personnel.
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“NO ROOM AT THE INN! @HiltonHotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement. 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 said on X.
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A Hilton spokesperson pushed back on claims, telling ABC News the property is independently owned and that the company is investigating the incident.
“This hotel is independently owned and operated, and these actions were not reflective of Hilton values. 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,” the spokesperson said.
The company that owns the hotel, Everpeak Hospitality, apologized in a statement obtained by ABC News and said the cancellation violates their policy of being a “welcoming place for all.”
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“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,” Everpeak Hospitality said.
The alleged cancellations come as multiple sources tell ABC News that DHS could be deploying as many as 2,000 agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations to conduct fraud and immigration investigations in the Twin Cities region. The Trump administration has zeroed in on accusations of fraud at Somali-run childcare centers in recent weeks.
Late last year, DHS also launched “Operation Metro Surge” to target undocumented Somali immigrants in the region.
ABC News’ Luke Barr contributed to this report.
Hilton Hotels refused ICE agents rooms, Trump administration says
The alleged refusal comes as the Department of Homeland Security has cracked down on alleged fraud in the Minneapolis area
Josh Marcus in San FranciscoTuesday 06 January 2026 08:27 GMT
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Department of Homeland Security staff seeking hotel rooms in Minneapolis were denied once their identities as government immigration agents were revealed, the Trump administration claimed on Monday, alleging Hilton Hotels had launched a “coordinated campaign.”
“When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations,” DHS wrote on X. “This is UNACCEPTABLE.”
In its post, the agency appeared to reference the Biblical story of Mary and Joseph being denied “room at the inn” ahead of the birth of Jesus and shared a pair of redacted screenshots regarding the alleged cancellations in Minnesota.
“After further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and will be cancelling your upcoming reservation,” reads one of the messages, dated January 2, which features an “@hilton” email address and a reference to the Everpeak Hospitality group.
“We are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property,” another message, purportedly from the leadership of the Hampton Inn Lakeville, reads.
It is unclear which or how many properties were involved in the alleged cancellations.
DHS did not provide evidence to The Independent when asked how it knew agents were victims of a “coordinated campaign.”
“This hotel is independently owned and operated, and these actions were not reflective of Hilton values,” Hilton told The Independent in an email 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.”
“Everpeak Hospitality has moved swiftly to address this matter as it was inconsistent with our policy of being a welcoming place for all,” Everpeak wrote in a statement on its website. “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.”
Shares of Hilton, of which many branded hotels are independently run franchises, were down nearly 2.5 percent as of Monday afternoon.
The allegations come as the Trump administration is surging DHS resources to the Minneapolis era, kicking off a reported crackdown that could involve up to 2,000 agents.
The president regularly denigrates the large Somali-American community in the city and the administration has responded to viral, disputed allegations of mass fraud at Somali-run day care centers to freeze childcare funding to Minnesota and the rest of the country.
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Last year, a Sheraton franchisee operated by a third party in Louisiana faced controversy for allegedly renting rooms to DHS personnel to hold people who were in the process of being deported, in what appears to violate the brand’s larger policies.
In 2020, Hilton corporate said detaining immigrants “is not activity that we support or in any way want associated with our hotels,” following the news a Texas franchisee accepted reservations from an ICE contractor.
Two years prior, Motel 6 agreed to pay $7.6 million to settle a class- action lawsuit, after multiple locations gave guest lists to ICE agents.
