ICE agents forcibly attempt to enter Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday, Jan 27, without authorization, prompting Ecuador’s foreign ministry to file a formal diplomatic protest with the US Embassy and drawing attention to the broader tensions over federal immigration enforcement operations in the city.

The consulate barred the federal agents from entering the facility, and officials activated emergency protocols to protect Ecuadorian citizens inside.

Ecuador issues a formal statement

A video of the incident was posted online. It shows staff inside the consulate rushing to the door to prevent the agents from entering.

The incident occurred at approximately 11 am at the Ecuadorian consulate on Central Avenue Northeast, according to statements from Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!” one man exclaimed. “This is the Ecuadorian consulate. You’re not allowed to enter.”

Ecuador’s foreign ministry posted a statement on the social platform X in Spanish: “This morning, the Ecuadorian Consul in Minneapolis reported that, at approximately 11:00 am, an agent from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) attempted to enter the Consulate premises.”

The statement has called the visit an "attempted incursion."

"Consulate officials immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular office, thus guaranteeing the protection of the Ecuadorian citizens who were present at the consulate at that time and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility."

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic immediately submitted a letter of protest to the United States Embassy in Ecuador,” the statement concluded.

Consular protections and diplomatic protocol

Typically, officials from the host country must obtain approval from consular staff before entering a consulate.

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which the US follows, spells it out pretty clearly: local authorities can’t enter the parts of the consulate used for official work unless the head of the consulate, someone they pick, or the head of the diplomatic mission says it’s fine.

The US State Department, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the attempted consular entry.

It remains unclear why the agents approached the consulate or whether they were pursuing a specific enforcement action at the time.

In the past few weeks, ICE and Border Patrol agents have flooded the Twin Cities, ramping up the Trump administration’s crackdown.

Last Saturday in Minneapolis, Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti while he was filming them out in public.

Just a few weeks before that, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good as she tried to drive away from officers.