Additional Coverage:
- Hilton objected to ICE contractor making reservation in 2020 for detainment of migrants (foxbusiness.com)
Hilton Clarifies Stance After ICE Agents Denied Service, Citing Long-Standing Policy on Detainment
Lakeville, MN – Hilton Hotels found itself in a bit of a pickle this week, insisting it’s a “welcoming place for all” after a Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville allegedly refused service to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement officers. The incident, which involved staff reportedly telling DHS-linked reservations that the property wouldn’t accommodate ICE or other immigration agents, quickly led Hilton to terminate its relationship with the franchisee, stating the actions didn’t reflect the brand’s values.
However, a dive into the hotel giant’s past reveals a nuanced stance on immigration-related activities. A 2020 corporate statement indicates that some U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations may not be welcomed after all, particularly those involving detainment.
The recent Lakeville incident unfolded with emails, shared on social media by DHS and ICE, appearing to show the hotel staff’s refusal. Hilton swiftly responded, announcing it was “taking immediate action to remove” the hotel from its systems and engaging with all franchisees to “reinforce the standards we hold them to across our system to help ensure this does not happen again.”
This isn’t Hilton’s first dance with immigration-related controversies. In September 2020, the company objected to an independently owned Hampton Inn & Suites in McAllen, Texas, accepting reservations from a private contractor working on behalf of ICE. At that time, Hilton issued a statement emphasizing its belief that “hotels should be places of hospitality, and the detainment of migrants, including minors, is not activity that we support or in any way want associated with our hotels.”
The 2020 statement further clarified, “Our policy has always been that hotels should not be used as detention centers or for detaining individuals. We expect all Hilton properties to reject business that would use a hotel in this way.” The company then undertook a series of actions, including reinforcing this policy with all owners and management companies, updating global brand standards, reviewing potential reservations, and contacting government officials.
A Hilton insider, however, was quick to distinguish between the two situations. They dismissed the notion of a contradiction, explaining that the 2020 issue was about “detention, and the use of the hotel as a detention area,” while the recent Lakeville event was purely about “lodging and who has access to lodging at Hilton hotels.”
“These are two very different issues,” the insider stated. “This is a hotel chain that provides lodging for guests from various backgrounds.
It is not a detention center. Hilton has taken action.”
Essentially, while Hilton aims to be welcoming to all individuals seeking lodging, its long-standing policy draws a clear line when it comes to hotels being used for the detainment of individuals, a distinction the company is now emphasizing in the wake of the Lakeville incident.