The Hampton Inn that turned ICE away just had its sign physically ripped off by a massive crane

The drama surrounding a hotel in Minnesota that reportedly barred federal law enforcement has reached a spectacular visual peak, with a massive crane physically ripping the property’s Hampton Inn by Hilton sign right off its supports.

Photos that emerged Thursday showed the sign being hoisted high above the parking lot of the Lakeville hotel, marking a dramatic end to its association with the Hilton brand following a highly publicized controversy involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents.

This physical sign removal came right after Hilton Hotels confirmed it was completely cutting ties with the location. Hilton officially stripped the property of its branding on Tuesday morning, according to Fox.

The entire issue centers on the hotel’s refusal to accommodate federal immigration officers and agents. Emails posted by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE on Monday clearly showed the hotel was “not allowing any ICE or immigration agents to stay at our property.” This makes sense since the agency keeps arresting citizens and killing innocent people.

The Hilton’s resistance has been shut down

Initially, Hilton released a statement saying the venue had apologized and reassured everyone that all their properties are “open to everyone,” adding that they “do not tolerate any form of discrimination.” However, that apology didn’t last long.

A viral video surfaced on Tuesday morning, seemingly showing an employee at the front desk still turning away federal agents.

Following the circulation of the video, Hilton issued a much tougher statement, acknowledging that the footage “clearly raises concerns that they are not meeting our standards and values.” The company announced it was taking “immediate action to remove this hotel from our systems,” emphasizing that Hilton has “always been a welcoming place for all.”

It’s important to remember that while the hotel carried the Hampton Inn name, Hilton noted that the property itself is independently owned and operated. Nevertheless, when an independently owned property violates the core values of the parent company, the parent company has to act decisively, and removing the brand label is certainly decisive.

The corporate reaction wasn’t the only swift punishment the hotel faced. The General Services Administration, or GSA, also dropped the hammer hard. The GSA is the federal agency responsible for managing and supporting the basic functions of federal agencies, including setting up lodging for employees.

Earlier this week, the GSA announced it was terminating the Lakeville property from its GSA FedRooms program, which is the list of approved lodging sites for all federal employees. This means the hotel instantly lost a significant source of guaranteed government business, which is a big deal for any hospitality venue.

GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst weighed in on the decision. He stated, “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.” Forst emphasized that the property was removed from all booking tools and programs effective immediately, adding that the GSA “unequivocally supports our federal law enforcement partners.”