January 6, 2026 • 20 mins
The Department of Homeland Security put out a series of posts, one showing screenshots of two emails cancelling reservations of known ICE agents. Even though Hilton quickly distanced itself from the hotel chain in question and apologized along with the hotel’s management company, Hilton stock fell 2.5% on Monday. DHS used incendiary language in its posts, saying Hilton was siding with rapists and murderers and conservative pundits quickly took advantage of the situation on social media calling for a boycott of Hilton hotels and spreading misinformation.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:11):
Hey, there are folks.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It is Tuesday, January sixth and the White House. Well,
they got their guy in Venezuela, they got Moduro. Now
they have a new target, Hilton Hotels and with that, welcome.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
To this episode of Amy A. TJ. Rhoads.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I knew this story was gonna go crazy because Maga
got one now and it was handed to a molti
platter by Hilton Hotels. I couldn't believe how this story
went crazy. Refuse to allow ice agents to stay in
a hotel and now this could absolutely hurt the bottom
line of an international hotel chain.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
It already has hurt the bottom line of an international
hotel chain based on one independent franchise outside of Minneapolis.
Were talking about a Hampton Inn in the Minneapolis area,
but DHS posted this on x This is what started
this entire firestorm. No room at the end at Hilton
(01:09):
Hotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to refuse
service to DHS law enforcement. When officers attempted to book
rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously
canceled their reservations.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
This is unacceptable.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
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.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I hate, I hate that we do this. This is
awful on all I hate that. You know what, It
didn't hit me until you just read. I've read that myself.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
That is awful.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Well, I mean, come on, you use Okay, we need
to explain what the story is and then maybe you'll
be outraged, because the outrage is our only reaction. They
just fired up their whole base. That post is BS. Okay,
it is this hotel. I think what they did is BS.
But then we compounded by putting this out there. Read
(02:10):
that second and start from the top again.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
This is at all caps, no room at the inn exclamation.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Okay, fine, that's clever. I'll give you that.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
At Hilton Hotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Stop not true. Not it's not true.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
And it wasn't even Hilton actually, and we'll get into that,
but go ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
To refuse service to DHS law enforcement. When officers attempted
to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton
Hotels malicious canceled their reservations. This is unacceptable all caps.
And here is the real sendinary part. Why is Hilton
Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and
(02:58):
impede DHS.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Law enforce from their mission to enforce our nations.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
And that's propaganda and it sends a message to other folk.
You're just riling people up for no reason, for no reason.
So to explain what happened here, Yes, as you all
have seen the news and we've talked about here plenty,
there is an increased law enforcement presence in Minnesota right now,
just in general. There's the fraud investigation going on, but
(03:24):
also a lot of crackdown with ICE agents, so they
have been flooding that area for the most part.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Some agents tried to book a hotel.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Lakeville, Lakeville, Yes, Hampton's Hampton in Lakeville, Yes.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
All right, try to book some rooms. Their reservations end
up getting canceled. Now Roades, this is legit, and I
think this is crazy. This email that's been put out
from some representative from Hampton telling these ICE agents they're
getting canceled.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
So the Department of Homeland Security, under their very clever
social media post by the way the ICE account on
x also, Hey Hilton Hotels, why did your team in
Minneapolis cancel our federal law enforcement officer and agent's reservations?
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Like very snarkily.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
So they then put these photos like screenshots of two
separate emails. The first one is this email is in
regards to the reservation you made with the Hampton in
Lakeville property. 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
(04:27):
our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let
us know as we will have to cancel your reservation.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Okay, that's I think.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
If they that is legit, and it's been acknowledged that
that is legit, I think that's wrong. I do think
it's wrong. If they have their reasons for it, I
will listen and I will concede. But there have been
protests at some of these hotels in the area, and
maybe they just don't want that heat, and that's fine,
but I do actually think it's wrong to deny a
hotel room. We could talk about legalities here in a minute,
(05:00):
but I do I think that's wrong.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
I agree, and also there was a second email put
up that said, after further investigation online, we have found
information about immigration work connected with your name, and we
will be canceling your upcoming reservation.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
So that even sounds.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Like someone googled someone's name to find out if they
were a federal agent.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
That's also problematic.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
It is and should be pointed out that back in
twenty twenty, in Trump's first administration, Hilton did come out
and say that they were against it was against their
policy to have migrants or children being held in their hotels.
They said, we are not a prison. We do not
condone incarcerating people in our hotels. So perhaps I'm just
(05:43):
wondering if that occurrence back in twenty twenty might have
prompted the overreaction perhaps by DHS to put this all
out publicly, because this isn't the first time that they
have had some sort of issue with Hilton, or Hilton
had an issue with what they were doing.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, well, you say, possibly the reaction of DHS could
possibly inform the reaction of this hotel as well, thinking
back and thinking, maybe there's some stuff that'll be going
on in the hotel we don't like. Fine, I think
so far the story. It makes sense and is legit,
and I think it's wrong what the hotel did. But
why can cooler heads never prevail to make a phone
(06:23):
call to reach out because they had one here? I
think this is one where the administration you actually got one.
You're actually in the right, and I think majority of
people would be on your side. And they know it,
and they took advantage of it.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
They politicized it.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
They did when they were right.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
I can't even I can't argue with the administration that yes,
these guys shouldn't have gotten reservations, not at all. I can't.
But then the administration turns around. It makes me feel
bad about them being right.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Because of how they handled it.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
And look Hilton. The reaction from Hilton came quickly. It
was swift. We should read their statements because they first
of all, distance there's one from Hilton itself, and then
there's one from the hotel management company that oversees this
particular property.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
So Hilton said this, this.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Hotel is independently owned and operated for sentence, and these
actions were not reflective of Hilton values. We have been
in direct contact with the hotel. They have apologized for
the actions of their team, which was not in keeping
with their policies. They have taken immediate action to resolve
this matter and are contacting impacted guests to ensure that
they are accommodated.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
That was the right response.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yes, it was the only one so far, so good.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yes, and the hotel management company said this. We are
in touch with the impacted guests to ensure that they
are accommodated. We do not discriminate against any individuals or
agencies and apologize to those impacted. We are committed to
welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards,
applicable laws, and our role as a professional hospitality provider.
(08:00):
All good, right, And yet Hilton shares fell two point
five percent on Monday. And if you look on social
media and you see what conservative pundits are putting out
there and how Americans are reacting, you'll understand why there
are calls for full boycotts. And there is outrage, outrage
(08:20):
everywhere about what happened. And so even the Google reviews
people are calling them an American giving them one stars.
You know, people go do that to try and make
the hotel chain actually actually suffer.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
There's there's a word for that that they do they
when they flood of the reviews.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
There's a something this is a thing I cannot.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Remember the verb that I do not know.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
But like Alex Jones puts out treason alert in all
caps treason alert, Hilton Hotels cancel reservations for ice agents.
This hotel chain has issued a statement publicly citing with
illegal alien invaders, rapists and murderers. They did not issue
a statement publicly sighting with any of that. They actually
(09:04):
issued a statement apologizing. See all of this misinformation is
so frustrating. And then from what he says, people didn't
read the story, they didn't listen or go further in
past the headline. And then they see Alex Jones say
that Hilton has now issued a statement sighting with rapist
and murderers.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
And then you have people.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Calling for boycott's, drop the hammer on them, boycott them.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
This is all on X.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I am genuinely sad about this story. Just another example
of where we are in this country and how we
fire each other up, we make sure we stay divided
and cooler heads leadership just doesn't prevail. There's no reason,
I don't know, somebody should get to the bottom of it,
and I'm curious, and I think the hotel was wrong,
(09:54):
but robes a mistake even if it was completely intentional,
and whoever had malicious intent, this team, that local thing,
it becomes an international hotel chain, is actually siding with
murderers and rapists. We support murders and rapists more than
(10:19):
we support our own law enforcement. Is an absurd thing
to allege based on this. I just that makes me sad.
And there are people that promote this, and if I can,
we can encourage. We do it all the time on
our podcast road. We can encourage anybody to just take
a beat. Don't believe a headline. Please learn for yourself,
because you end up making yourself stupid. If you just
(10:42):
believe in Alex Jones headline, if you just believe Amy
and TJ podcast headline, did dive into it a little
yourself before you get outraged and go out there start
spewing at your family gathering or at work misinformation that
you're so passionate and outraged about that's completely false. This
(11:03):
makes me so damn sad. I was wanted to do
this update. Now we're gotten into it and we're talking,
I am so sad. About this is awful.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
And what you're saying is you've got you've got one
one person, maybe even responsible.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
I don't know how many employees.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Were involved in writing those emails, but it could just
be one person. And now and there's a little bit
of truth, right, There is a lot of truth to
some of the headlines. So that's the problem with these
types of stories, because there is something that happened that
needs to be addressed. But it's so I shouldn't. I
don't want to minimize what those folks felt like when
(11:41):
they were turned away or when they got their cancelation.
But it was an isolated hotel, specific hotel, not even
a chain, just one hotel and maybe even one employee.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
And now this.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Huge firestorm has erupted, and if we can all just
take a breath and get some perspective and give each
other a little bit of grace. People make mistakes and
apologies were immediately handed out, and it's not good enough.
And we want to be able to say you're the
bad guy and I'm the good guy, and you're the
(12:17):
bad guy and I'm the good guy.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
That's the problem.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Now I feel stupid because we know what this is about.
This is people trying to get audiences, trying to get followers.
You play into people's greatest fears, and you just you
beat it into the ground. You just beat it. You
scare these immigrants. Look who's hurting you. You scared these people.
You're not happy with your job, you lost your job.
Look who's taking it these immigrants, And he's rapists. And
(12:43):
you're playing on people's fears and working people up instead
of bringing people together. And that I am desperate for
leadership in this country. This was such an easy moment
to be the bigger person. DHS. You want to call
them first, you want to look into this first. No,
because that doesn't help us politically. You know what helps
(13:04):
to get everybody worked up? Say that this hotel chain
that you have no chance of having even staying in
the penthouse of one of their places, you can't even
you can't afford, so you certainly can't understand the finances
and how rich these people are. See what these rich
people are doing to you. They're kicking out the agents
who are trying to keep you safe. Jesus Crobs, Yep,
(13:29):
that's just politics. I'm just begging everybody. Nobody is gonna
change in DC and how this goes. But we have
to do better about these stories, behave and to not
just get outraged because Alex Jones tells you to in
the headline exactly. So I did not expect to get
worked up about this one. Well, you just pissed me off.
But stay here, folks, when we come back, I'm gonna
(13:49):
calm down. But also, this move they made, is it
even legal? Is their precedent for something like this happening before?
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Stay here? Okay?
Speaker 2 (14:10):
We continue here on Amy and a much calmer TJ.
This story is mad. This is one robes where I
always think, Wow, there was an opportunity to show something,
to showcase different sides coming together and having a good outcome.
Could you imagine there being a press conference out there,
the owners of the hotel and the ICE agents standing
(14:30):
together and doing something that shows the rest of the
country it's okay to disagree but still work together. It's okay, Now,
that's not what happened, I said, a calmer TJ. Why
don't you take it?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Well, we were talking about whether or not it's even
legal for a hotel chain to refuse to accommodate a guest,
and from what I could find online, and I'm with
several law sites where actually there are lawyers who represent
hotel chains giving them advice and what the law says.
And here is what I got. Hotels can legally turn
(15:01):
away guests for legitimate reasons such as over capacity, failure
to comply with hotel policies, inability to pay, or what
they call high risk tenants.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Also, you can turn someone.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Away if the safety if there's a safety issue, or
if a guest behavior ist is deemed likely to disrupt
the peace and comfort of other patrons or pose a
risk to the staff.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
You mentioned the protests.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
This is happening outside of hotels where they are actually
making loud noises to try and make sure they can't sleep,
just to be completely disruptive. And these protests are happening
specifically in the Minneapolis area. So I wonder if there
was that going on outside this hotel. I don't know
that it was, but I feel like there's enough gray
area in that speak legal speak, that you could probably
(15:50):
be justified in saying we don't sorry, but we're not
allowing ice agents right now.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Well that's not a fight you would want to know,
but that was your point.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
They have some legal there is some, there is some,
And you mentioned precedent in terms of the Supreme Court,
because we remember it was a few years ago where
you had a bakery I believe, who didn't want to
bake a cake for an LGBTQ plus couple, and it
went all the way to the Supreme Court, and the
Supreme Court did ultimately say that because it violated that baker,
(16:21):
that baker's or that that that owner's religious beliefs, that
they had the right to refuse service. So this has
been questioned and challenged before in different ways.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
And so it's look, legally can be one thing.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
When you're going to get a financial hit and boycotts
are being called, you have to do damage control on
a whole other level. It doesn't matter if you could
even say the laws on your side. You have a
PR problem, a major PR problem right now.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Again, it's it's it's the Hampton Inn in Lakeville. This
isn't the Ritz in Half Moon Bay. I mean, it's
it's not necessary.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I mean, I'm just I.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Mean, Hilton runs nine thousand hotels around the world this
and most of them, by the way, are independently owned.
Most of them are franchised.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Out. So it isn't Hilton, so to speak, but.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
It's still under They has their name and it's under
their umbrella, and so they still have to take some responsibility.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
But it's just the perspective.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Yes, please one Hampton Inn in Lakeville, Minnesota, with a
nine thousand plus hotel chain around the world.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I again ropes.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
We just this isn't a story where you need to
necessarily take a take a side and be outraged. This
is an opportunity for us to have a conversation about something.
And we always always say, you've got to support these
guys out there doing a job that they're ordered to do,
and you can't be mad at the ICE agents for
carrying out their jobs. Plenty of people are mad at them,
(17:53):
but these instructions are.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Not They're following orders.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
What they're doing, what they're supposed to do and like it,
love it, hated, but you just can't personally take it
out necessarily on these guys hotel. I can understand, what
if it's disturbing the other guests, Maybe their bottom line
is being impacted by having so many ICE agents there
because other people want to stake Maybe that's the case,
But I just don't care. All I care about here
is admitting we made a mistake. This is how it happened,
(18:20):
It shouldn't have been done. The employee that did it,
This is what's happening to that person. We are retraining.
We are dada da and just say it and move on.
DHS putting it out. I'm okay putting it out, but
when you're getting people in this heated political climate worked
up to say that an international chain is supporting rapists
(18:41):
and murderers, you put a target on their backs at
every one of those nine thousand locations for reasons that
most people aren't going to investigate. They just saw the
DHS official Twitter account putting that out there and that's
all they read. So we just folks, We plead with you,
please please take a beat when you see something like
(19:02):
this come up, and don't let outrage be your immediate
response before you look into these things.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
And this is a sad one. I'm sorry even suggest
that we.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Do, but it's an important one because I think this
is exactly how we should be talking about these types
of stories. Yes, it's our job to report on what happened,
but I think it's also important to give the perspective
that sometimes is missing in a lot of these stories,
and certainly you don't get it in a headline. And
when you read the comments, you can see the people
(19:34):
who actually read the article and people who just read
the headline, and there is a difference.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Don't be the latter, is all we're trying to say,
folks read beyond the headline. And with that we always
appreciate you listening to us on behalf of my dear
Amy Robot. I am a much calmer dj Olms now
talk
Hey, there are folks.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It is Tuesday, January sixth and the White House. Well,
they got their guy in Venezuela, they got Moduro. Now
they have a new target, Hilton Hotels and with that, welcome.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
To this episode of Amy A. TJ. Rhoads.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I knew this story was gonna go crazy because Maga
got one now and it was handed to a molti
platter by Hilton Hotels. I couldn't believe how this story
went crazy. Refuse to allow ice agents to stay in
a hotel and now this could absolutely hurt the bottom
line of an international hotel chain.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
It already has hurt the bottom line of an international
hotel chain based on one independent franchise outside of Minneapolis.
Were talking about a Hampton Inn in the Minneapolis area,
but DHS posted this on x This is what started
this entire firestorm. No room at the end at Hilton
(01:09):
Hotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to refuse
service to DHS law enforcement. When officers attempted to book
rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously
canceled their reservations.
Speaker 4 (01:25):
This is unacceptable.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
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.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I hate, I hate that we do this. This is
awful on all I hate that. You know what, It
didn't hit me until you just read. I've read that myself.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
That is awful.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Well, I mean, come on, you use Okay, we need
to explain what the story is and then maybe you'll
be outraged, because the outrage is our only reaction. They
just fired up their whole base. That post is BS. Okay,
it is this hotel. I think what they did is BS.
But then we compounded by putting this out there. Read
(02:10):
that second and start from the top again.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
This is at all caps, no room at the inn exclamation.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Okay, fine, that's clever. I'll give you that.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
At Hilton Hotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Stop not true. Not it's not true.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
And it wasn't even Hilton actually, and we'll get into that,
but go ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
To refuse service to DHS law enforcement. When officers attempted
to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton
Hotels malicious canceled their reservations. This is unacceptable all caps.
And here is the real sendinary part. Why is Hilton
Hotels siding with murderers and rapists to deliberately undermine and
(02:58):
impede DHS.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Law enforce from their mission to enforce our nations.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
And that's propaganda and it sends a message to other folk.
You're just riling people up for no reason, for no reason.
So to explain what happened here, Yes, as you all
have seen the news and we've talked about here plenty,
there is an increased law enforcement presence in Minnesota right now,
just in general. There's the fraud investigation going on, but
(03:24):
also a lot of crackdown with ICE agents, so they
have been flooding that area for the most part.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Some agents tried to book a hotel.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Lakeville, Lakeville, Yes, Hampton's Hampton in Lakeville, Yes.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
All right, try to book some rooms. Their reservations end
up getting canceled. Now Roades, this is legit, and I
think this is crazy. This email that's been put out
from some representative from Hampton telling these ICE agents they're
getting canceled.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
So the Department of Homeland Security, under their very clever
social media post by the way the ICE account on
x also, Hey Hilton Hotels, why did your team in
Minneapolis cancel our federal law enforcement officer and agent's reservations?
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Like very snarkily.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
So they then put these photos like screenshots of two
separate emails. The first one is this email is in
regards to the reservation you made with the Hampton in
Lakeville property. 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
(04:27):
our property. If you are with DHS or immigration, let
us know as we will have to cancel your reservation.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Okay, that's I think.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
If they that is legit, and it's been acknowledged that
that is legit, I think that's wrong. I do think
it's wrong. If they have their reasons for it, I
will listen and I will concede. But there have been
protests at some of these hotels in the area, and
maybe they just don't want that heat, and that's fine,
but I do actually think it's wrong to deny a
hotel room. We could talk about legalities here in a minute,
(05:00):
but I do I think that's wrong.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
I agree, and also there was a second email put
up that said, after further investigation online, we have found
information about immigration work connected with your name, and we
will be canceling your upcoming reservation.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
So that even sounds.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Like someone googled someone's name to find out if they
were a federal agent.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
That's also problematic.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
It is and should be pointed out that back in
twenty twenty, in Trump's first administration, Hilton did come out
and say that they were against it was against their
policy to have migrants or children being held in their hotels.
They said, we are not a prison. We do not
condone incarcerating people in our hotels. So perhaps I'm just
(05:43):
wondering if that occurrence back in twenty twenty might have
prompted the overreaction perhaps by DHS to put this all
out publicly, because this isn't the first time that they
have had some sort of issue with Hilton, or Hilton
had an issue with what they were doing.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, well, you say, possibly the reaction of DHS could
possibly inform the reaction of this hotel as well, thinking
back and thinking, maybe there's some stuff that'll be going
on in the hotel we don't like. Fine, I think
so far the story. It makes sense and is legit,
and I think it's wrong what the hotel did. But
why can cooler heads never prevail to make a phone
(06:23):
call to reach out because they had one here? I
think this is one where the administration you actually got one.
You're actually in the right, and I think majority of
people would be on your side. And they know it,
and they took advantage of it.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
They politicized it.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
They did when they were right.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
I can't even I can't argue with the administration that yes,
these guys shouldn't have gotten reservations, not at all. I can't.
But then the administration turns around. It makes me feel
bad about them being right.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Because of how they handled it.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
And look Hilton. The reaction from Hilton came quickly. It
was swift. We should read their statements because they first
of all, distance there's one from Hilton itself, and then
there's one from the hotel management company that oversees this
particular property.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
So Hilton said this, this.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Hotel is independently owned and operated for sentence, and these
actions were not reflective of Hilton values. We have been
in direct contact with the hotel. They have apologized for
the actions of their team, which was not in keeping
with their policies. They have taken immediate action to resolve
this matter and are contacting impacted guests to ensure that
they are accommodated.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
That was the right response.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Yes, it was the only one so far, so good.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Yes, and the hotel management company said this. We are
in touch with the impacted guests to ensure that they
are accommodated. We do not discriminate against any individuals or
agencies and apologize to those impacted. We are committed to
welcoming all guests and operating in accordance with brand standards,
applicable laws, and our role as a professional hospitality provider.
(08:00):
All good, right, And yet Hilton shares fell two point
five percent on Monday. And if you look on social
media and you see what conservative pundits are putting out
there and how Americans are reacting, you'll understand why there
are calls for full boycotts. And there is outrage, outrage
(08:20):
everywhere about what happened. And so even the Google reviews
people are calling them an American giving them one stars.
You know, people go do that to try and make
the hotel chain actually actually suffer.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
There's there's a word for that that they do they
when they flood of the reviews.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
There's a something this is a thing I cannot.
Speaker 4 (08:42):
Remember the verb that I do not know.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
But like Alex Jones puts out treason alert in all
caps treason alert, Hilton Hotels cancel reservations for ice agents.
This hotel chain has issued a statement publicly citing with
illegal alien invaders, rapists and murderers. They did not issue
a statement publicly sighting with any of that. They actually
(09:04):
issued a statement apologizing. See all of this misinformation is
so frustrating. And then from what he says, people didn't
read the story, they didn't listen or go further in
past the headline. And then they see Alex Jones say
that Hilton has now issued a statement sighting with rapist
and murderers.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
And then you have people.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Calling for boycott's, drop the hammer on them, boycott them.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
This is all on X.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I am genuinely sad about this story. Just another example
of where we are in this country and how we
fire each other up, we make sure we stay divided
and cooler heads leadership just doesn't prevail. There's no reason,
I don't know, somebody should get to the bottom of it,
and I'm curious, and I think the hotel was wrong,
(09:54):
but robes a mistake even if it was completely intentional,
and whoever had malicious intent, this team, that local thing,
it becomes an international hotel chain, is actually siding with
murderers and rapists. We support murders and rapists more than
(10:19):
we support our own law enforcement. Is an absurd thing
to allege based on this. I just that makes me sad.
And there are people that promote this, and if I can,
we can encourage. We do it all the time on
our podcast road. We can encourage anybody to just take
a beat. Don't believe a headline. Please learn for yourself,
because you end up making yourself stupid. If you just
(10:42):
believe in Alex Jones headline, if you just believe Amy
and TJ podcast headline, did dive into it a little
yourself before you get outraged and go out there start
spewing at your family gathering or at work misinformation that
you're so passionate and outraged about that's completely false. This
(11:03):
makes me so damn sad. I was wanted to do
this update. Now we're gotten into it and we're talking,
I am so sad. About this is awful.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
And what you're saying is you've got you've got one
one person, maybe even responsible.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
I don't know how many employees.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Were involved in writing those emails, but it could just
be one person. And now and there's a little bit
of truth, right, There is a lot of truth to
some of the headlines. So that's the problem with these
types of stories, because there is something that happened that
needs to be addressed. But it's so I shouldn't. I
don't want to minimize what those folks felt like when
(11:41):
they were turned away or when they got their cancelation.
But it was an isolated hotel, specific hotel, not even
a chain, just one hotel and maybe even one employee.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
And now this.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Huge firestorm has erupted, and if we can all just
take a breath and get some perspective and give each
other a little bit of grace. People make mistakes and
apologies were immediately handed out, and it's not good enough.
And we want to be able to say you're the
bad guy and I'm the good guy, and you're the
(12:17):
bad guy and I'm the good guy.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
That's the problem.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Now I feel stupid because we know what this is about.
This is people trying to get audiences, trying to get followers.
You play into people's greatest fears, and you just you
beat it into the ground. You just beat it. You
scare these immigrants. Look who's hurting you. You scared these people.
You're not happy with your job, you lost your job.
Look who's taking it these immigrants, And he's rapists. And
(12:43):
you're playing on people's fears and working people up instead
of bringing people together. And that I am desperate for
leadership in this country. This was such an easy moment
to be the bigger person. DHS. You want to call
them first, you want to look into this first. No,
because that doesn't help us politically. You know what helps
(13:04):
to get everybody worked up? Say that this hotel chain
that you have no chance of having even staying in
the penthouse of one of their places, you can't even
you can't afford, so you certainly can't understand the finances
and how rich these people are. See what these rich
people are doing to you. They're kicking out the agents
who are trying to keep you safe. Jesus Crobs, Yep,
(13:29):
that's just politics. I'm just begging everybody. Nobody is gonna
change in DC and how this goes. But we have
to do better about these stories, behave and to not
just get outraged because Alex Jones tells you to in
the headline exactly. So I did not expect to get
worked up about this one. Well, you just pissed me off.
But stay here, folks, when we come back, I'm gonna
(13:49):
calm down. But also, this move they made, is it
even legal? Is their precedent for something like this happening before?
Speaker 1 (13:58):
Stay here? Okay?
Speaker 2 (14:10):
We continue here on Amy and a much calmer TJ.
This story is mad. This is one robes where I
always think, Wow, there was an opportunity to show something,
to showcase different sides coming together and having a good outcome.
Could you imagine there being a press conference out there,
the owners of the hotel and the ICE agents standing
(14:30):
together and doing something that shows the rest of the
country it's okay to disagree but still work together. It's okay, Now,
that's not what happened, I said, a calmer TJ. Why
don't you take it?
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Well, we were talking about whether or not it's even
legal for a hotel chain to refuse to accommodate a guest,
and from what I could find online, and I'm with
several law sites where actually there are lawyers who represent
hotel chains giving them advice and what the law says.
And here is what I got. Hotels can legally turn
(15:01):
away guests for legitimate reasons such as over capacity, failure
to comply with hotel policies, inability to pay, or what
they call high risk tenants.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
Also, you can turn someone.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Away if the safety if there's a safety issue, or
if a guest behavior ist is deemed likely to disrupt
the peace and comfort of other patrons or pose a
risk to the staff.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
You mentioned the protests.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
This is happening outside of hotels where they are actually
making loud noises to try and make sure they can't sleep,
just to be completely disruptive. And these protests are happening
specifically in the Minneapolis area. So I wonder if there
was that going on outside this hotel. I don't know
that it was, but I feel like there's enough gray
area in that speak legal speak, that you could probably
(15:50):
be justified in saying we don't sorry, but we're not
allowing ice agents right now.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Well that's not a fight you would want to know,
but that was your point.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
They have some legal there is some, there is some,
And you mentioned precedent in terms of the Supreme Court,
because we remember it was a few years ago where
you had a bakery I believe, who didn't want to
bake a cake for an LGBTQ plus couple, and it
went all the way to the Supreme Court, and the
Supreme Court did ultimately say that because it violated that baker,
(16:21):
that baker's or that that that owner's religious beliefs, that
they had the right to refuse service. So this has
been questioned and challenged before in different ways.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
And so it's look, legally can be one thing.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
When you're going to get a financial hit and boycotts
are being called, you have to do damage control on
a whole other level. It doesn't matter if you could
even say the laws on your side. You have a
PR problem, a major PR problem right now.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Again, it's it's it's the Hampton Inn in Lakeville. This
isn't the Ritz in Half Moon Bay. I mean, it's
it's not necessary.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I mean, I'm just I.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Mean, Hilton runs nine thousand hotels around the world this
and most of them, by the way, are independently owned.
Most of them are franchised.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Out. So it isn't Hilton, so to speak, but.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
It's still under They has their name and it's under
their umbrella, and so they still have to take some responsibility.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
But it's just the perspective.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Yes, please one Hampton Inn in Lakeville, Minnesota, with a
nine thousand plus hotel chain around the world.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
I again ropes.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
We just this isn't a story where you need to
necessarily take a take a side and be outraged. This
is an opportunity for us to have a conversation about something.
And we always always say, you've got to support these
guys out there doing a job that they're ordered to do,
and you can't be mad at the ICE agents for
carrying out their jobs. Plenty of people are mad at them,
(17:53):
but these instructions are.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Not They're following orders.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
What they're doing, what they're supposed to do and like it,
love it, hated, but you just can't personally take it
out necessarily on these guys hotel. I can understand, what
if it's disturbing the other guests, Maybe their bottom line
is being impacted by having so many ICE agents there
because other people want to stake Maybe that's the case,
But I just don't care. All I care about here
is admitting we made a mistake. This is how it happened,
(18:20):
It shouldn't have been done. The employee that did it,
This is what's happening to that person. We are retraining.
We are dada da and just say it and move on.
DHS putting it out. I'm okay putting it out, but
when you're getting people in this heated political climate worked
up to say that an international chain is supporting rapists
(18:41):
and murderers, you put a target on their backs at
every one of those nine thousand locations for reasons that
most people aren't going to investigate. They just saw the
DHS official Twitter account putting that out there and that's
all they read. So we just folks, We plead with you,
please please take a beat when you see something like
(19:02):
this come up, and don't let outrage be your immediate
response before you look into these things.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
And this is a sad one. I'm sorry even suggest
that we.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
Do, but it's an important one because I think this
is exactly how we should be talking about these types
of stories. Yes, it's our job to report on what happened,
but I think it's also important to give the perspective
that sometimes is missing in a lot of these stories,
and certainly you don't get it in a headline. And
when you read the comments, you can see the people
(19:34):
who actually read the article and people who just read
the headline, and there is a difference.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
Don't be the latter, is all we're trying to say,
folks read beyond the headline. And with that we always
appreciate you listening to us on behalf of my dear
Amy Robot. I am a much calmer dj Olms now
talk
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