Ecuador: ICE Agent Tried to Breach Minneapolis Consulate

A tense confrontation at the door of Ecuador’s consulate in Minneapolis has added a new international dimension to the ongoing conflict over immigration enforcement in the city. Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry says a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer attempted to enter the consulate building on Tuesday morning but was stopped by consulate staff.

Video shared widely online shows a consulate employee telling the ICE officer that he is not permitted inside because the building is Ecuador’s diplomatic property. The officer can be heard warning, “If you touch me, I will grab you,” before consular staff close the door to prevent entry.

Because consular offices are protected under international law, authorities from the host country—including ICE—are generally not allowed to enter without approval from the consul, except in very limited emergencies such as fires.

Ecuador says it did not give permission and that the action violated diplomatic norms. The country’s foreign ministry immediately lodged a formal note of protest with the U.S. Embassy in Quito, asking for assurances that similar incidents will not happen again at Ecuadorian diplomatic posts.

The incident took place amid Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota involving thousands of ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents ordered by President Trump. That broader operation has already sparked controversy and protests, especially after two civilians, including ICU nurse Alex Pretti, were killed in separate encounters involving federal agents.

Officials in Minneapolis and legal experts have emphasized the importance of respecting diplomatic boundaries while also noting that the heightened federal presence has made many in the community uneasy.

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