In brief
A protest erupted at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan on Tuesday, resulting in several arrests. Demonstrators claimed the hotel was housing federal immigration officials, a notion the hotel declined to confirm. As the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement, backlash grows, drawing attention to the role hospitality entities play in such operations.
NEW YORK (AP) — Dozens of protesters were arrested Tuesday after they occupied the lobby of a Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan, accusing the hotel of housing federal immigration officers. A person who answered the phone at the hotel declined to comment, and an email to Hilton’s press office went unanswered. The Department of Homeland Security has stated that they will not disclose whether immigration officers are currently staying at the hotel.This protest aligns with heightened immigration enforcement efforts by the Trump administration, which have faced notable pushback, including reports of recent deaths linked to these actions in Minneapolis. Hotel chains like Hilton have found themselves at the center of this conflict, struggling to maintain their business operations amidst the protests.During the sit-in, protesters filled the small hotel lobby, wearing shirts that read “Hilton houses ICE,” demanding that the hotel cease to accommodate federal immigration officers. New York Police Department officials reported they instructed the assembled crowd to vacate, leading to the eventual arrest of those who remained. Although the exact number of arrests remains unclear, witnesses noted dozens being detained and placed into police buses outside the venue.
