In a brutal demonstration of federal purchasing power, the General Services Administration (GSA) has effectively erased a Minnesota hotel from the government marketplace. The Hampton Inn Lakeville has been terminated from all federal lodging programs after it refused to accommodate Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, a decision that has also cost the property its Hilton franchise flag.
The incident serves as a stark warning to private contractors: discrimination against federal law enforcement will be met with immediate financial excommunication. Within 24 hours of a viral video exposing the hotel’s stance, the property went from a trusted government partner to a blacklisted entity.
Discussion
Looks like this hotel learned the hard way! Can't turn down our brave ICE agents and expect zero consequences. Love to see GSA and Hilton taking strong action. Another example of how liberal nonsense just doesn't pay off! Wake up, folks! Trump 2024! 🇺🇸🦅
It's a shame to see this Minnesota hotel face such dire consequences for refusing to accommodate ICE agents. Private businesses should have the freedom to operate based on their values, but when you enter into agreements with the federal government, there comes an expectation of compliance, especially with the law enforcement associated with immigration. This decision to blacklist them from federal programs is a harsh reminder that actions have consequences. I miss the days when we could rely on mutual respect for institutions rather than these polarized, knee-jerk reactions. This situation highlights the tension between business ethics and federal requirements.
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“Not Allowing Any ICE Agents”
The controversy erupted when internal emails from the Department of Homeland Security surfaced, revealing that the hotel was “not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property.”
Hilton initially attempted to quell the firestorm, claiming the independently owned franchise had apologized and that the matter was resolved. However, the situation escalated when freelance journalist Nick Sortor posted a viral video on Tuesday. The footage appeared to show a hotel employee at the front desk continuing to deny rooms to agents, directly contradicting the corporate narrative.
The GSA Strikes Back
The response from the Trump administration was swift. GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst, sworn in just weeks ago on Christmas Eve, announced the immediate termination of the hotel from the FedRooms program.
“GSA immediately reviewed the matter and found the hotel to be in clear violation of its government lodging program requirements,” Forst stated. “The property has been removed from the programs and booking tools effective immediately.”
This is a massive financial blow. The GSA manages the travel logistics for a federal workforce of over 4 million people. By cutting the hotel off from FedRooms, emergency lodging services, and long-term contracts, the government has essentially severed a vital revenue artery.
Losing the Flag
The fallout didn’t stop with the government. Faced with video evidence that their franchisee was defying corporate anti-discrimination standards, Hilton Hotels took the “nuclear option” of stripping the hotel of its branding.
“A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values,” Hilton stated. “As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems.”
By Tuesday afternoon, the hotel had been wiped from Hilton’s website. It is now an unbranded property, isolated from the reservation networks that drive the hospitality industry.
The Minnesota Pressure Cooker
This confrontation is a microcosm of the intense friction in the Twin Cities. The Department of Homeland Security has launched a “massive” investigation into alleged daycare fraud in the state and has been conducting large-scale immigration sweeps, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
In this heated political climate, the hotel’s management attempted to make a political statement by denying service to the agents enforcing these policies. The result was a lesson in the asymmetry of power: a single franchise took on the federal government and a multinational corporation simultaneously, and lost everything in a day.
Here comes the FO part of FAFO! These guys thought they could mess with ICE? Guess what, actions have consequences. Good to see GSA finally shutting them down. Way to go Trump Admin for backing our agents. Business should support our law enforcement, not hide from it! 🇺🇸💪