• DoubleTree and InterContinental hotels suspended operations after staff reported threats from unknown individuals
• Cities Church worship service interrupted by protesters targeting pastor who leads local ICE field office
• Department of Justice opened investigation into church disruption under federal religious freedom law

ST. PAUL, MN (TDR) — Two downtown St. Paul hotels abruptly closed their doors to all guests Sunday afternoon, citing escalating safety threats against staff members who had been housing federal immigration enforcement agents during Minnesota’s largest-ever immigration operation.

The DoubleTree St. Paul Downtown and InterContinental St. Paul Riverfront issued identical notifications at noon informing guests that operations would temporarily suspend due to heightened public safety concerns. While both properties allowed regular guests to complete their stays, federal agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement were required to vacate immediately.

“We have made the decision to temporarily suspend operations at two of our St. Paul hotels – Intercontinental St. Paul Riverfront and Doubletree St. Paul Downtown – in response to elevated safety and security concerns.”

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The closures came as anti-ICE protests in the Twin Cities escalated to include disrupting religious services, with demonstrators interrupting Sunday morning worship at a St. Paul church after discovering one of its pastors also serves as the acting director of the local ICE field office.

Hotel Staff Report Direct Threats

A front desk manager at the InterContinental confirmed to federal agents that the closure decision stemmed from direct threats the hotel had received from unknown individuals angered by the property housing Department of Homeland Security personnel.

Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reported that when he contacted the DoubleTree, staff confirmed they were no longer accepting any reservations and referred callers to alternative properties.

“An agent who talked to the front desk manager there says he was told it was done to protect staff because they have been getting threats from unknown individuals for lodging DHS agents.”

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The hotels offered to arrange accommodations at other properties, issue full refunds, and cover one night’s stay at comparable rates elsewhere. However, the sudden displacement affected more than a dozen federal agents who had been participating in Operation Metro Surge, the Department of Homeland Security’s largest immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota history.

Church Worship Service Disrupted

The hotel closures occurred hours after protesters stormed Cities Church in St. Paul during Sunday morning services, chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good” while demanding accountability for pastor David Easterwood.

Easterwood serves dual roles as a church pastor and the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office. Protesters identified him through court filings related to an ACLU lawsuit challenging ICE’s enforcement tactics in the Twin Cities region.

“When you think about the federal government unleashing barbaric ICE agents upon our community and all the harm that they have caused, to have someone serving as a pastor who oversees these ICE agents, is almost unfathomable to me,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, who leads the Racial Justice Network.

Armstrong, an ordained reverend and civil rights attorney, participated in organizing the church demonstration after learning of Easterwood’s dual roles. The disruption was livestreamed by former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who documented protesters positioning themselves in the sanctuary as worship began.

Federal Investigation Launched

The Department of Justice swiftly announced an investigation into the church disruption under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which prohibits using force to prevent people from exercising First Amendment rights at places of worship.

“The @CivilRights is investigating the potential violations of the federal FACE Act by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated.

Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed she had been in direct communication with Dhillon throughout Sunday regarding the incident.

“I just spoke to the Pastor in Minnesota whose church was targeted. Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are being met with the full force of federal law,” Bondi said.

The White House also responded with a statement from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declaring that President Donald Trump would not tolerate intimidation of Christians in their places of worship.

Tensions Escalate Following Fatal Shooting

The heightened security concerns stem from protests that erupted after Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 7. Federal officials claimed Good attempted to run over law enforcement officers, while local authorities and eyewitness accounts have disputed that characterization.

Since Good’s death, protesters have clashed daily with federal agents at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building and targeted hotels believed to be housing ICE personnel. Demonstrations have included noise campaigns outside lodging facilities, with protesters banging drums and shining lights on windows to prevent federal agents from sleeping.

Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino appeared on Fox News Sunday to describe the escalating targeting of federal personnel.

“These anarchists are starting to go out in the streets and they are threatening American citizens. They go after the vehicles of anyone they think that is even associated with ICE and sometimes American citizens wake up to find their vehicle tires slashed, damaged and/or vandalized.”

The Department of Homeland Security reports arresting more than 2,500 individuals since Operation Metro Surge began December 1, with approximately 3,000 federal agents currently deployed in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

Legal Battles Continue

A federal judge on Friday issued a temporary restraining order limiting ICE agents’ authority to detain peaceful protesters who are not obstructing operations. The ruling prohibits officers from arresting people without probable cause and bars the use of chemical irritants against non-violent demonstrators.

“Safely following agents at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop,” U.S. District Judge Kate Menendez wrote in the order.

The ruling came in response to an ACLU lawsuit filed on behalf of six Minnesota activists who have been observing ICE operations. The lawsuit alleges federal agents have violated constitutional rights through aggressive tactics including swapping license plates, using chemical irritants on peaceful protesters, and making arrests without probable cause.

Lead pastor Jonathan Parnell of Cities Church criticized the Sunday disruption as shameful, while Levy Armstrong dismissed the DOJ investigation as a distraction from what she characterized as federal agents’ harmful actions in the community.

Easterwood defended ICE’s tactics in a January 5 court filing, testifying that crowd control devices like flash-bang grenades were necessary to protect agents from increasingly aggressive threats.

Should hotels be held liable for staff safety when housing federal law enforcement during controversial operations?

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