ICE agents blocked from entering Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis, ministry says
MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tried to enter the Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday but were turned away by consulate staff, Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said — prompting the South American nation to file a formal diplomatic protest.
The ministry “immediately submitted a note of protest to the United States Embassy in Ecuador to ensure that acts of this nature are not repeated at any of Ecuador’s consular offices in the United States,” it said in a statement.
Under international law, law enforcement authorities are generally prohibited from entering foreign consulates or embassies without the permission of the consul or ambassador, though consent may be presumed during certain life-threatening emergencies, such as fires.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to The Washington Post’s request for comment.
According to Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry, ICE officers attempted to enter the building around 11 a.m. local time. Consulate officials blocked the officers’ entry, activating emergency protocols and “guaranteeing the protection of the Ecuadorian citizens who were present at the consulate at that time,” the ministry said.
In video posted online and shared by multiple Ecuadorian media outlets, a consulate staff member rushes to the doorway as the agents approach, barring their entry and telling them: “This is the Ecuadorian Consulate. You’re not allowed to enter.” One ICE officer can be heard responding that he would “grab” the staffer if they touched the officer.
The staffer repeatedly tells the officers they are not allowed to enter before they ultimately agree to leave, the footage shows. The Post was unable to independently verify the video.
The incident took place amid a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis that has drawn criticism and legal challenges over its tactics — scrutiny that has deepened over the past weeks after federal agents fatally shot two residents, Renée Good and Alex Pretti, both U.S. citizens.
Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne said he had spoken with Ecuador’s ambassador, who said he believed ICE agents had mistakenly attempted to enter the building.
Payne said ICE agents also entered a coffee shop near the consular building in northeast Minneapolis that is a popular destination for protesters and threatened them, saying, “We’re going to be back and arrest you all.”