Hilton Hotels announced on Tuesday that it will cut ties with the independently owned Hampton Inn by Hilton Lakeview Minneapolis after a desk clerk was caught on video refusing to book rooms for an individual claiming to be a Department of Homeland Security agent. The decision follows an earlier apology by the property’s owner, Everpeak Hospitality, for cancelling reservations for real DHS officers on the grounds of their immigration enforcement work. Hilton’s statement emphasized that the franchisee had assured the company the issue was resolved, but the newly released footage demonstrated otherwise, prompting immediate removal of the property from Hilton’s reservation system.

The Department of Homeland Security took to social media to decry what it characterized as a coordinated campaign to refuse service to its law enforcement personnel. DHS shared screenshots of emails from the Lakeville property stating that any bookings made by ICE or other immigration agents would be cancelled. In its post, DHS accused Hilton of ‘maliciously’ cancelling official reservations and undermining federal law enforcement operations, framing the incident as an unacceptable obstacle to the agency’s mission.

Shares of Hilton dipped by approximately 2% on Monday following DHS’s public criticism, though they recovered partially in subsequent trading. Billionaire shareholder Bill Ackman praised Hilton’s swift action once the latest video emerged, noting that CEO Chris Nassetta became personally involved in enforcing brand standards. Hilton has also launched a system-wide reinforcement campaign with its franchisees to prevent future breaches of its non-discrimination policy, underscoring the financial and reputational stakes for franchise compliance.