Minneapolis Hotels Cancel Rooms for Federal Immigration Agents Amid Rising Tensions
In the aftermath of heightened tensions in the Twin Cities following a fatal incident involving federal immigration enforcement officers, several Minneapolis-area hotels have drawn scrutiny for cancelling reservations booked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents. The cancellations have added another flashpoint to a politically charged situation that has already seen protests, legal challenges, and widespread debate over federal law-enforcement activity.
According to federal officials, at least one hotel in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area cancelled rooms that federal agents had booked for official travel, citing “public safety concerns” or similar reasons as the justification. The situation first gained broad attention in early January when the Department of Homeland Security shared communications showing that staff at a locally operated Hampton Inn — a franchise within the Hilton hotel family — informed agents that their reservations would be cancelled because the property would not allow ICE or other immigration officials to stay there.
The email messages, which were posted publicly by DHS on social media, included statements suggesting the property had actively decided not to accept federal law-enforcement guests after identifying an influx of government bookings. Federal officials characterized the cancellations as an “unacceptable” refusal of service to agents performing official duties.
In response, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which oversees government lodging programs, announced that the affected hotel would be removed from all federal travel and lodging programs. This means the property will no longer be available through tools and systems used by federal agencies to book rooms compliant with government per diem rates and travel regulations. GSA officials said a hotel participating in those programs must honor reservations from federal workers without discrimination, and a refusal to do so violated program requirements.
Hilton Worldwide, the parent company of the hotel brand, also addressed the controversy, stating that the actions attributed to the property did not reflect company policy. Hilton noted that most of its branded hotels, including Hampton Inn locations, are independently owned and operated. A Hilton spokesperson said the company was investigating what happened and reaffirmed that its properties are intended to be welcoming to all guests, including government travelers.
Meanwhile, the independent operator of the Lakeville, Minnesota, hotel issued an apology and said the cancellation email did not represent its official policies. The management group said it was working to contact the impacted guests and ensure they were accommodated, emphasizing that they do not discriminate against any individual or government agency.
Despite those apologies, video circulated online showing a front-desk employee at the same hotel allegedly telling a visitor that DHS or ICE agents were not being accommodated, even after the company’s statements that the issue had been resolved. That video helped spur Hilton’s decision to remove the property from its systems entirely.
The cancellations emerge amid escalating tensions in Minneapolis and Saint Paul tied to an ongoing federal immigration enforcement surge. In recent weeks, hundreds of DHS personnel have been deployed to the region as part of broader operations aimed at addressing fraud and other alleged violations. That federal presence has triggered protests and legal pushback from local officials, including lawsuits filed by the state of Minnesota and the cities themselves challenging the constitutionality of the enforcement actions.
Some protesters have targeted hotels believed to be housing law-enforcement personnel, staging demonstrations outside these locations and calling for solidarity with those opposed to federal immigration tactics. At least three hotels in the Minneapolis area have reported suspending reservations for federal agents, citing safety concerns as demonstrations grow more frequent.
Local leaders and activists argue that the federal presence has heightened community tensions and made service workers uneasy about accommodating enforcement officers. Others say that businesses should remain neutral and honor bookings regardless of politics, noting that cancelling reservations can endanger federal personnel and disrupt official operations.
Federal officials, for their part, have defended their role and stressed the importance of supporting law-enforcement mobility, especially when officers and agents are deployed to carry out authorized missions. They have repeatedly called for hotels and other businesses to treat government travelers like any other guests and not to discriminate based on agency affiliation.
As the controversy over hotel cancellations continues, it underscores how deeply the immigration enforcement conflict has penetrated daily life in Minneapolis, affecting not only police tactics and protests but also the local hospitality industry and federal-private cooperation.