Independent Journalist Investigates Minnesota Hotel's Alleged ICE Agent Ban

Hotel's Alleged Policy Against ICE Agents

• 🕵️ Independent journalist Nick Sortor investigated a Minnesota hotel accused of falsely claiming a policy change to refuse service to ICE agents.
• 🏨 The Hampton Inn by Hilton in Lakeville, Minnesota, initially denied service to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, stating they were not accepting agents from immigration or ICE.
• 📄 Hilton Hotels issued a statement acknowledging concerns about the hotel not meeting their standards and announced immediate action to remove the hotel from their systems.

Journalist's Undercover Investigation

• 🎤 Sortor, posing as a government employee, was denied lodging when he inquired about government rates and identified himself as being with DHS.
• 🗣️ The hotel staff indicated that management and ownership had not informed them of any policy changes, despite a public statement from Hilton.
• 🗺️ The hotel is located south of Minneapolis and St. Paul, an area Sortor contrasted with Minneapolis, which he referred to as "little Moadishu" due to its Somali population.

Political and Governmental Reactions

• 🏛️ The General Services Administration (GSA) has terminated the former Hampton Inn from its list of approved lodging providers.
• 💰 Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was criticized by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for complaining about federal agents in Minnesota while overseeing significant welfare fraud in the state.
• 🚨 Mayorkas highlighted that Minnesota has experienced approximately $9 billion in fraud since Walz became governor, questioning Walz's stance on taxpayer dollars.
• 🚓 The need for federal agents is linked to the alleged Somali-linked welfare scam that originated in Minnesota, leading to a large DHS operation.
• 🤝 Sortor suggested that cooperation from state officials, such as turning over individuals with murder warrants from Ecuador to DHS, would reduce the need for extensive federal presence.