Hilton Hotel Workers' Refusal to Serve ICE Agents Ends in Backlash After Initial Act of Resistance Was Misrepresented by the Department of Homeland Security.
A defiant stand by some workers at a Hilton hotel franchise has turned sour after their initial act of resistance was misrepresented by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The incident began when immigration agents attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, but were met with a coordinated campaign by hotel staff to refuse service.
According to reports, one of the workers allegedly told an ICE agent that they would have to cancel their reservation if they tried to stay at the property. However, this claim has been disputed, with Hilton officials stating that there was no coordinated campaign and that individual employees may have made a mistake in refusing service to immigration agents.
The misrepresentation by DHS only added fuel to the fire, as workers from the Hampton Inn Lakeville franchise were accused of launching a "coordinated campaign" against ICE. This claim has since been denied, with Everpeak Hospitality, the company that owns the property, stating that it was simply an isolated incident.
In response to the backlash, Hilton officials have issued a statement condemning the actions of individual employees and affirming their commitment to serving all customers. The company has also apologized for any inconvenience caused by the misrepresentation by DHS.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by hotel workers in balancing their duty to serve all customers with the need to resist unjust requests from government agencies. As one Minneapolis activist noted, "Every barrier to Trump's immigration forces moving smoothly through a city is a good thing."
In order to continue to build on this momentum, activists are calling for more acts of local resistance and solidarity with workers who take stands against injustice.
A defiant stand by some workers at a Hilton hotel franchise has turned sour after their initial act of resistance was misrepresented by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The incident began when immigration agents attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, but were met with a coordinated campaign by hotel staff to refuse service.
According to reports, one of the workers allegedly told an ICE agent that they would have to cancel their reservation if they tried to stay at the property. However, this claim has been disputed, with Hilton officials stating that there was no coordinated campaign and that individual employees may have made a mistake in refusing service to immigration agents.
The misrepresentation by DHS only added fuel to the fire, as workers from the Hampton Inn Lakeville franchise were accused of launching a "coordinated campaign" against ICE. This claim has since been denied, with Everpeak Hospitality, the company that owns the property, stating that it was simply an isolated incident.
In response to the backlash, Hilton officials have issued a statement condemning the actions of individual employees and affirming their commitment to serving all customers. The company has also apologized for any inconvenience caused by the misrepresentation by DHS.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by hotel workers in balancing their duty to serve all customers with the need to resist unjust requests from government agencies. As one Minneapolis activist noted, "Every barrier to Trump's immigration forces moving smoothly through a city is a good thing."
In order to continue to build on this momentum, activists are calling for more acts of local resistance and solidarity with workers who take stands against injustice.