(The Center Square) – A consumer protection group is outraged by Hilton Hotels’ denial of rooms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at a Minneapolis location, while other hotel chains remain silent.
Executive director of Consumers’ Research Will Hild told The Center Square: “Hilton’s actions are not just anti-law enforcement, they’re anti-consumer.”
Consumers’ Research is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting consumers.
Hild explained that “Hilton went out of its way to make a political statement and refuse rooms to ICE agents simply because the hotel disagrees with President Trump’s policies.”
When asked what Consumers’ Research hopes to accomplish by its Woke Alert, Hild said that it intends “to inform consumers directly when a company has gone woke and engaging in radical, political behavior.”
“Consumers have choices on where they spend money and Consumers’ Research wants to ensure every consumer has the knowledge and understanding to make informed choices,” Hild said.
“After our Woke Alert, [Hilton] unsurprisingly released statements attempting to clean up its mess,” Hild said.
Hild told The Center Square that “Consumers’ Research will continue to put companies on blast when they focus on woke politics instead of their consumers.”
When asked twice for comment, Hilton Hotels did not respond.
Disapproval toward the hotel chain began earlier this week as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted on X there was “no room at the inn” for DHS law enforcement in Minneapolis.
According to DHS, “when officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations.”
One email from Hilton said “after further investigation online, we have found information about immigration work connected with your name and we will be cancelling your upcoming reservation.”
“You should see a proper cancellation email in your inbox shortly from Hilton,” the email said.
Another email said: “We have noticed an influx of GOV reservations made today that have been for DHS, and we are not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property.”
“If you are with DHS or immigration, let us know as we will have to cancel your reservation,” the email said. “Please pass on this info to your coworkers that we are not allowing any immigration agents to house on our property.”
On X, DHS said Hilton’s actions are “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?” DHS said.
Neither DHS nor ICE media relations have yet responded to The Center Square’s request for comment.
Consumers’ Research noted in its Woke Alert that “it is no surprise” Hilton “touts its 2024 award as the ‘#1 Top Company for Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)’ and holds a 100 HRC Score for its support of LGTBQ+ activism.”
In a statement obtained by The Center Square, Hild called Hilton’s actions toward DHS “outrageous” and said that “consumers should think twice before supporting a brand that chooses woke politics over public safety and its own customers.”
“No American should be forced to pass an ideological test to book a hotel room,” Hild said. “If a major hotel chain can cancel rooms based on your profession today, what stops them from denying service tomorrow based on your beliefs, values, or political views?”
When asked twice each for comment, neither Marriott nor InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) responded by time of publishing.
