Boycott Calls Target Hilton After Cancellation of ICE Reservations
Hilton is under increasing pressure for a boycott following an incident in Minneapolis where an independent franchisee allegedly canceled reservations for immigration officials visiting the city.
After the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville, Minnesota, of “maliciously” refusing to accommodate ICE agents, conservative voices on social media turned their attention to the hotel chain. This incident comes as about 2,000 federal agents arrived in the area.
Benny Johnson, a conservative podcaster, expressed his outrage on social media on Tuesday, stating, “They flat out lied. This is unacceptable.”
Initially, Hilton suggested it was addressing the concern but later announced the hotel would discontinue its affiliation with the Hilton brand. This followed the Hampton Hotels allegedly lying about the reversal of their policy toward ICE agents.
Supporters of former President Trump have voiced their discontent, sharing images of various Hilton properties, including Waldorf Astoria and DoubleTree, while encouraging others to withdraw their patronage.
A social media account called MAGA Voice, which boasts 1.4 million followers, posted, “Who else is ready to boycott Hilton Hotels?”
Hilton’s statement about severing ties with the Minneapolis location referenced a video by conservative influencer Nick Souter. In the video, he claims a hotel employee told him reservations for DHS and ICE staff were not permitted.
The employee was recorded saying, “We don’t have people from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or DHS on our premises… It’s just policy.” This video has gained around 2 million views online.
Following the video’s release, Souter warned Hilton on social media, “Revoking their license or it will cost you dearly. You have been warned.”
On the same platform, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones remarked that if Hilton doesn’t change its stance, a nationwide boycott is inevitable, similar to recent boycotts against Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch.
Another account, American Papa Bear, chimed in, saying “Hilton Hotels made the biggest mistake ever. Didn’t they allow DHS and ICE agents to stay in their hotels? Didn’t they see what we did to Bud Light and Target? You guys know what to do.”
Laura Loomer, a right-wing figure, hinted that she is reconsidering her loyalty to Hilton, saying, “I think I’ll have to reconsider staying at the Hilton Hotel.”
Corey Inganamort, who produces a conservative radio program, claimed he canceled his Hilton credit card on the spot and shared the cancellation confirmation online.
The newspaper has reached out to Hilton for a response.
Recently, ICE has increased its presence in the Twin Cities due to a significant welfare fraud scandal involving daycare centers operated by the Somali community.
Officials stated that around 1,500 ICE agents and numerous Homeland Security investigators were dispatched to the area on Sunday.
In a separate incident, a woman was fatally shot by an immigration officer in Minneapolis after she allegedly attempted to collide with him using her vehicle. Video footage from the scene captured protesters shouting anti-ICE slogans and throwing snowballs at law enforcement.
DHS accused hotel staff of orchestrating a “coordinated campaign” to deny service to its law enforcement personnel in Minneapolis.
“When the employee attempted to book a room using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously canceled the reservation. This is unacceptable,” the DHS statement read.
It further questioned, “Why would Hilton Hotels side with criminals and interfere with DHS law enforcement efforts to uphold our nation’s immigration laws?”
