MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – On Thursday, striking images surfaced depicting the removal of a Hampton Inn hotel sign in the Minneapolis area. This action follows allegations that the hotel refused to host agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other immigration officers.

Located in Lakeville, the hotel was formerly associated with the Hilton brand. However, Hilton Hotels decided to withdraw its branding from the property on Tuesday morning. This decision came after a video emerged, seemingly showing the hotel continuing to deny service to immigration officers, even after Hilton stated the venue had apologized. Hilton emphasized that their properties should remain open to everyone, stating, “We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”

The photographs captured the scene as a crane hoisted the hotel sign from its mountings in the parking lot.

Attempts to reach Hilton for comments on Thursday by Fox News Digital were unsuccessful, as the hotel chain did not immediately respond. The current operator of the hotel remains unknown, and efforts to contact the property through a listed phone number resulted in a disconnected line.

The removal of signage from the Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville, Minn., has become a focal point amidst the ongoing controversy regarding the treatment of ICE agents. (Alpha News)

The General Services Administration (GSA) said earlier this week that it is terminating the Hampton Inn Lakeville in Minnesota from its list of approved lodging sites 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.”