NEW YORK (AP) – On January 27, 2026, dozens of protesters were arrested after they staged a sit-in at the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn located in Manhattan. The demonstrators accused the hotel of accommodating federal immigration officers, specifically from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), amidst ongoing government immigration operations that have faced significant backlash across the country.
The protest unfolded as part of a broader wave of resistance to the Trump administration's aggressive immigration enforcement policies, which have reportedly contributed to the deaths of two individuals in Minneapolis earlier that month. With hotel chains like Hilton often caught in the crossfire of immigration controversies, protesters were unified in their message, wearing shirts emblazoned with the phrase "Hilton houses ICE" and demanding that the hotel cease offering lodging to federal agents.
A spokesperson for the New York Police Department reported that officers commanded the crowd to disperse before moving forward with arrests for those who remained in the lobby. Although the exact number of arrests was not immediately clear, witnesses including a photographer from The Associated Press observed dozens of individuals being detained and escorted onto buses outside the hotel.
The hotel management did not provide any comment regarding the protest when contacted by phone, and an email sent to Hilton's press office went unanswered by Tuesday evening. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security, represented by spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, stated that information regarding whether immigration officers were indeed present at the hotel would not be disclosed.
This incident in Manhattan highlights an increasing trend of protests against immigration enforcement measures and the businesses that are perceived to support them. As public sentiment continues to rise against such operations, hotels and other establishments are navigating heightened scrutiny and potential boycotts from segments of the public. The tension between federal actions and local sentiments remains palpable as protests like this continue to emerge across various settings.
