Hilton Hotels Corp. (NYSE: HLT) has removed a Minneapolis-area franchise from its systems following reports that it refused and canceled reservations made by ICE agents.
Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) called out the company on X, stating it “launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement.” DHS referred to the actions of a Hampton Inn Lakeville franchise in suburban Minneapolis run by Everpeak Hospitality – there was no evidence of a corporate-wide Hilton policy to prevent ICE agents from booking accommodations.
Shortly after the DHS posting, Hilton issued a statement that said identified the franchise was addressing the matter, but an online video posted by independent journalist Nick Sortor appeared to show that the hotel in question was still refusing to accommodate ICE agents.
This morning, Hilton issued a statement that said, “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. As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems. Hilton is – and always has 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 news of what transpired generated calls for a boycott of Hilton by many online conservative influencers. Hedge fund executive Bill Ackman came to Hilton’s defense this morning, posting on X, “Hilton is one of the best managed companies in the world. Its CEO, Chris Nassetta, is one of the most outstanding CEOs in the world. I know that he is highly respected by @realDonaldTrump and the current administration. Chris became personally involved in this situation from the moment he became aware of it and took immediate action. As a Hilton customer and shareholder, I am comfortable that this situation was handled appropriately and in a timely fashion.”
