OAN Staff Cory Hawkins
3:58 PM – Friday, January 5, 2026
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publicly accused Hilton Hotels of engaging in a “coordinated campaign” to refuse service to DHS law enforcement officers, specifically by canceling hotel reservations in the Minneapolis area that were booked using official government emails.
In a fiery post on X on Monday, DHS questioned why Hilton Hotels is “siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and impede DHS law enforcement from their mission to enforce our nation’s immigration laws?”
“When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations,” the agency declared.
The DHS post was accompanied by a screenshot of an email sent by the business, stating: “After further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and we will be cancelling your upcoming reservation. You should see a proper cancellation email in your inbox shortly from Hilton.”
“Please pass on this info to your coworkers that we are not allowing any immigration agents to house on our property.”
After the post triggered calls from conservative commentators and social media users to boycott the hotel chain, Hilton Worldwide issued a statement saying the specific property — identified as a Hilton-affiliated Hampton Inn in Lakeville — is independently owned and operated.
The company also said the actions described do not reflect its brand values and that it is investigating the matter.
“Hilton hotels serve as welcoming places for all. This hotel is independently owned and operated, and the actions referenced are not reflective of Hilton values. We are investigating this matter with this individual hotel, and can confirm that Hilton works with governments, law enforcement and community leaders around the world to ensure our properties are open and inviting to everyone.”
The hotel chain’s response suggests it views the situation as an isolated incident rather than a coordinated campaign, conflicting with the agency’s claims of multiple cancellations across Minneapolis-area properties.
Hilton later shared with FOX 9 a statement from Everpeak Hospitality, the hotel’s management company, which was directly involved in the incident. In response, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin issued her own statement after the company attempted to downplay the controversy.
ICE has begun to ramp up immigration enforcement in the Minneapolis area after independent journalist Nick Shirley’s now-viral investigation involving fraud in the state, which has since been amplified by Trump administration officials.
In light of the discovery, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem also announced that her agency would be initiating a “massive investigation on childcare and other rampant fraud,” now underway in Minneapolis.
FBI Director Kash Patel says that the Bureau has surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to crack down on large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.
According to the FBI Director, the effort is mostly focused on securing indictments tied to the $250 million COVID-era “Feeding Our Future” scam, in which funds intended to feed underprivileged children during the pandemic were instead siphoned off by those involved.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below