On Thursday, photos surfaced showing a crane taking down the sign of a Hampton Inn hotel located in the Minneapolis area. This hotel recently came under scrutiny for allegedly refusing to serve U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and immigration officers.
The hotel, previously under the Hilton brand in Lakeville, lost its association with Hilton on Tuesday morning. This action followed a video that appeared to show the hotel continuing to turn away immigration officers, despite Hilton Hotels’ statement that the location had apologized and emphasized that “properties are open to everyone, and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”
In the photos, the hotel’s sign can be seen being carefully lifted from its support by a crane stationed in the parking lot.
Hilton has yet to provide a comment on the situation when approached by Fox News Digital on Thursday. Currently, it remains unclear who will operate the hotel moving forward. Attempts to reach the property by phone suggest the number has been disconnected.
Images capture the removal of the Hampton Inn by Hilton sign in Lakeville, Minnesota, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. The hotel has become embroiled in controversy concerning its treatment of ICE agents. (Source: Alpha News)
Earlier this week, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced it would be removing the Hampton Inn Lakeville in Minnesota from its approved lodging list for all federal employees.
Several emails posted by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE on Monday showed that the hotel was “not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property.”
“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,” GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst told Fox News Digital in a statement. “The property has been removed from the programs and booking tools effective immediately. GSA unequivocally supports our federal law enforcement partners.”
Signage was removed from the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville, Minn., on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. The hotel is at the center of a controversy over the accommodation of ICE agents. (Alpha News)
The GSA is a federal agency responsible for managing and supporting the basic functioning of federal agencies. The hotel participated in a government lodging program partnership, known as GSA FedRooms, between federal employees and the location.
Hilton Hotels noted in its initial statement that the Hampton Inn Lakeville is independently owned and operated and said that officials from the property took “immediate action to resolve this matter and are contacting impacted guests to ensure they are accommodated.”
However, a viral video posted to X by freelance journalist Nick Sortor Tuesday morning showed an employee at the counter continuing to deny federal agents, going against Hilton’s statement.
The GSA removed a Minnesota Hampton Inn from all federal lodging programs after the hotel allegedly refused to accommodate ICE and immigration agents. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“A recent video clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values,” Hilton Hotels said in a statement. “As such, we are taking immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems. Hilton is — and has always been — a welcoming place for all.”
