ICE Agents in Minnesota Claim Hilton Hotels Are Canceling Their Reservations — Is This True?

The state of Minnesota cannot seem to stay out of the news. In late 2025, a conservative YouTuber named Nick Shirley released a video in which he loosely investigated fraud allegations involving Somali-run daycare centers. Shirley highlighted claims that these childcare facilities were misusing state funding. After the video went viral (though not necessarily for related reasons), Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced he was dropping his reelection campaign.

According to CNN, 2,000 federal agents are being deployed to Minneapolis, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and U.S. Border Patrol agents. Some ICE agents are apparently struggling to find a place to stay following reports that a Hilton Hotel has been canceling their reservations.

In a post to X (formerly Twitter), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shared a screenshot of an email from a redacted Hilton hotel employee at the Hampton Inn in Lakeville. The poster tagged the Hilton Hotels account and asked why their team in Minneapolis canceled their federal law enforcement officer and agents' reservations.

According to the email, the sender noticed an "influx of GOV reservations for the Department of Homeland Security. They went on to say they were not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at their property. "If you are with DHS or immigration," said the email, "let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation."

Under Minnesota state law, "an innkeeper may refuse to admit or refuse service or accommodations to a person" for various reasons, including anyone they believe is "bringing property into the hotel that may be dangerous to other persons, such as firearms or explosives." That seems to be the scenario most applicable to this situation.

The Hampton Inn in Lakeville is a franchise that is independently owned and operated by Everpeak Hospitality, per The New York Times. In an update shared to X, Hilton said the actions of the Hampton Inn in Lakeville were "not reflective of Hilton values." They went on to say that they spoke directly with the hotel, which apologized for its actions. "They have taken immediate action to resolve this matter," said Hilton.

A press release from Everpeak Hospitality states the company has "moved swiftly to address this matter," as it was inconsistent with their so-called "policy of being a welcoming place for all." Everpeak reached out to the ICE agents impacted by this decision and was working to find accommodations for them. "We are committed to welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards, applicable laws, and our role as a professional hospitality provider," the company said.

In a follow-up statement to X, Hilton referenced a recent video that shows Everpeak was still apparently not meeting the company's "standards." Hilton decided to remove Hampton Inn in Lakeville from their systems. They are also engaging with other franchises to make sure they do not operate in a similar fashion.