Hold onto your hats, folks—Hilton Hotels is under fire from the Department of Homeland Security for allegedly giving the cold shoulder to federal agents in Minneapolis over their immigration enforcement duties.

The controversy erupted when DHS took to social media to blast a Hilton-branded hotel for canceling reservations for its officers, an incident that sent Hilton’s stock sliding by about 2% and sparked swift responses from both corporate headquarters and the hotel’s operator, as CNBC reports.

This mess started on Monday when DHS aired its grievances on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, accusing a Minneapolis hotel of outright refusing service to its law enforcement personnel.

DHS Slams Hilton Over Reservation Cancellations

The agency didn’t mince words, posting, “NO ROOM AT THE INN! HiltonHotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement,” as per their tweet on X.

That’s a bold claim, and while it’s punchy enough to grab headlines, one wonders if “coordinated campaign” might overstate a single hotel’s actions—still, denying service to federal agents doing their job is a serious misstep in a nation that values law and order over progressive posturing.

DHS further alleged that when officers tried booking rooms with official government credentials, the hotel abruptly canceled them, even sharing email screenshots to back up their story.

Emails Reveal Hotel’s Stance on DHS Agents

One such email from a Hilton.com address read, “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,” according to the DHS post on X.

Let’s unpack that—if a business can cherry-pick who to serve based on their line of work, especially when it’s government agents enforcing federal law, aren’t we sliding down a slope where personal bias trumps public duty? It’s a troubling precedent, even if the intent wasn’t malice.

Another email claimed the hotel dug up online info linking a guest to immigration work and canceled their stay on that basis alone, a move that reeks of ideological gatekeeping over professional hospitality.

Hilton and Operator Respond to Backlash

Hilton’s corporate office was quick to distance itself, stressing that the Minneapolis property is independently run and that such actions don’t align with their core values.

They’ve since reached out to the hotel, which apologized and is now working to accommodate the affected guests, with Hilton firmly stating their doors are open to all, no exceptions.

Everpeak Hospitality, the operator of this particular location, echoed that sentiment, admitting the incident clashed with their policy of welcoming everyone and promising to make things right with those impacted.

Context of DHS Operations in Minneapolis

Adding layers to this drama, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem recently tweeted about a major investigation in Minneapolis involving Homeland Security Investigations agents targeting childcare and fraud issues, a context that makes the hotel’s refusal even more perplexing.

With reports of a massive deployment of up to 2,000 agents to the Twin Cities amid a sprawling fraud scandal—potentially involving billions in misused Medicaid funds, per federal prosecutors—these officers aren’t on vacation; they’re tackling serious crime.

While the hotel’s stance might appeal to those wary of immigration enforcement, turning away agents during such a critical operation feels like a misguided attempt at virtue signaling over supporting the rule of law—surely, there’s room for empathy toward agents just doing their jobs.