| Part ofa series on the |
| Immigration policy of the second Trump administration |
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Targeting of U.S. citizens |
Targeting of immigrants
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Controversies |
Hilton Worldwide has supportedImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during thesecond Trump administration by allowing federal agents to stay in its hotels. This has sparked protests, including the occupation of one of their hotels inNew York City which resulted in dozens of arrests.
Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. is an Americanmultinationalhospitality company that manages and franchises a broad portfolio of hotels, resorts, and timeshare properties. Founded byConrad Hilton in May 1919, the company is now led byChristopher J. Nassetta. Hilton is headquartered inTysons, Virginia, United States.
In January 2026, Hilton withdrew franchise status from a Minneapolis franchisee that sought to preventUnited States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from staying in their hotel.[1]
Financial advice expertRamit Sethi organized a boycott of Hilton properties and asked his fans to cancel their reservations.[2] Minnesota residents also protested several times late at night outside Canopy by Hilton and Graduate by Hilton properties where a large number of ICE officers were reportedly staying, playing drums and making noise to protest the officers' presence in their city.[3][4] Similarly, civil rights attorneys organized a campaign to have Hilton Honors members cancel their accounts in protest of Hilton, accusing the company of being complicit in ICE's actions.[5]
On January 24, 2026,Alex Jeffrey Pretti[6], a 37-year-old Americanintensive care nurse for theUnited States Department of Veterans Affairs, was shot multiple times and killed by twoUnited States Customs and Border Protection officers inMinneapolis, Minnesota. The incident occurred amidwidespread protests againstOperation Metro Surge, especially following thekilling of Renée Good on January 7 by aUnited States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.
On January 27, 2026, three days after thekilling of Alex Pretti, dozens of protesters inNew York City took over the lobby of aTribeca Hilton hotel.[7][8][9][10][11] Protesters alleged federal immigration agents had previously lodged there.[7]
More than 100 protesters entered the hotel on Sixth Avenue near Canal Street at about 6pm wearing black T-shirts with anti-ICE slogans.[8] Protesters from a separate anti-ICE rally gathered outside to show support[8] andpolice surveillance drones circled overhead.[11] At 6:35pm, officers entered the lobby and warned protesters to leave or face arrest.[8] Many protesters left, and reporters were forced to leave the lobby.[8] About 50[8] to 70[10] protesters remained and were arrested. At 7:30pm, theNYPD Strategic Response Group began making arrests, lifting protesters off the floor, zip tying their hands, and bringing them to a waiting bus.[8]
Protests remained outside during and after the arrests.[8] They chanted "Which Side Are You On?"[10] Others held signs and banners saying "Abolish ICE" and "ICE out of New York," or banners with pictures of people who were killed by federal immigration agents.[11] One organizer for the protest said "they're [not just] taking people off the streets [...] but killing them blatantly in broad daylight with no due process."[7] A formerMinneapolis resident in the crowd said "this feels different. This feels on the precipice of it being a lot more scary."[7] MayorZohran Mamdani praised the protesters for peacefully exercising their rights and the police for their presence through a spokesman.[8]
