(LAKEVILLE, MINNESOTA) — The U.S. General Services Administration removed the Hampton Inn in Lakeville, Minnesota from all government lodging programs on January 6, 2026, after the property denied rooms to federal immigration agents.
Federal action and official statement
GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst said the property was in clear violation of government lodging program requirements and was removed from the programs and booking tools effective immediately. In a statement posted to the agency’s newsroom on gsa.gov, Forst said:
“After I was informed that a local Hilton property canceled rooms reserved for ICE, GSA immediately reviewed the matter and found the hotel to be in clear violation of its government lodging program requirements. The property has been removed from the programs and booking tools effective immediately. GSA unequivocally supports our federal law enforcement partners.”
The termination covered these GSA programs and tools:
– FedRooms
– Emergency Lodging Services
– Long Term Lodging
FedRooms provides compliant accommodations for over 4 million federal and military travelers; removal cut the Lakeville property off from government booking tools used by federal travelers.
Incident details and timeline
- In early January 2026, hotel staff emailed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) personnel stating they would “not allow any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property” and asked staff to “pass this info to your coworkers.”
- DHS officials reported canceled reservations for officers who attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates.
- On January 5, 2026, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted on the DHS official X account:
“Hilton has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement. When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Why is Hilton Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and impede DHS law enforcement from their mission to enforce our nation’s immigration laws?”
- By January 6, 2026, Hilton corporate announced it would sever ties with the property and remove it from its brand network.
- The hotel was an independently operated franchise managed by Everpeak Hospitality, according to accounts accompanying the federal actions.
- A video surfaced showing a desk clerk reiterating the refusal policy, which preceded Hilton’s corporate move.
Scale of federal operation and impact
DHS described the lodging dispute as occurring amid “Operation Metro Surge,” a large-scale federal operation in the Twin Cities focused on:
– immigration enforcement, and
– investigations into alleged widespread fraud in state-run social programs.
As part of the operation, DHS deployed approximately 2,000 agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Federal personnel affected by the Lakeville hotel’s removal were moved to other GSA-approved facilities so the operation could continue.
Consequences for the hotel
The immediate and direct consequences for the Lakeville property included:
– Loss of FedRooms access, cutting it off from a major government lodging channel.
– Termination of Emergency Lodging and Long Term Lodging agreements with GSA.
– Loss of Hilton franchise affiliation, removing the property from major global and government booking systems.
– Removal as a federal contractor, which affected its ability to serve government travelers.
Political and community reactions
DHS leadership linked the lodging incident to a broader critique of wrongdoing in Minnesota. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on January 6, 2026, in remarks carried by KARE 11 News:
“Under President Trump, we will expose and deliver accountability for the rampant fraud and criminality happening in Minnesota. You won’t steal from Americans or break our laws and get away with it.”
Federal officials framed the cancellations as obstructing law enforcement operations. DHS criticized what it described as intentional and coordinated cancellations by “Hilton Hotels,” while GSA emphasized support for its federal law enforcement partners.
The emails from hotel staff explicitly barred “ICE or immigration agents” and urged DHS personnel to share the message internally. Those communications became a flashpoint as federal officials asserted law enforcement should not be denied service when conducting official duties.
Local reaction included criticism of the unannounced federal deployment. The account described:
– “Community tension” and an “intensified” divide over the federal operation.
– Local leaders, including Governor Tim Walz, criticized the unannounced federal deployment, per the account.
Key takeaways
- GSA’s removal of the Hampton Inn was a direct use of federal travel and lodging channels to respond to a private property’s refusal to house federal law enforcement.
- The action was tied to reservations “reserved for ICE,” as described by GSA, and to canceled bookings made with official government emails and rates, as described by DHS.
- The incident broadened from a single hotel front desk to federal contracting and brand affiliation, resulting in the property’s removal from both government and major commercial booking systems.
GSA’s action left agents and other federal travelers to rely on other approved options while Operation Metro Surge continued in the Twin Cities.
The GSA and Hilton corporate have both cut ties with a Lakeville, Minnesota hotel after it refused to accommodate federal immigration agents. The property was removed from federal booking tools like FedRooms, and Hilton terminated its franchise agreement. The dispute arose during a 2,000-agent operation focused on fraud and immigration, leading to sharp criticism from DHS leadership and increased community tension.
