ICE agent tries to enter Ecuador consulate in Minneapolis without permission

An ICE agent attempted to enter Ecuador's consulate in Minneapolis on Jan. 27, 2026, without authorization. Video circulated on social media shows the agent at the consulate entrance demanding to be let inside. A consulate staffer blocked him and said 'This is the Ecuadorian consulate. You're not allowed to enter.' The agent persisted. The staffer again refused entry. The agent then threatened to 'grab' the staffer before turning and leaving the premises.

EMEcuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility issued a statement saying consulate officials 'immediately prevented the ICE officer from entering the consular building, thus ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were present at the time.' The ministry activated emergency protocols issued for such situations. Ecuadorian citizens were inside the consulate for routine consular business at the time of the attempted entry.

Ecuador's Foreign Ministry submitted a formal diplomatic protest to the U.S. Embassy in Quito. The protest urged that such attempts not be repeated at any Ecuadorian consulate in the United States. The ministry characterized the incident as a violation of international law governing diplomatic and consular premises. As of Jan. 28, neither the U.S. State Department nor ICE had publicly responded to the diplomatic protest.

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations prohibits law enforcement from entering consulates without explicit permission. Article 31 provides that consular premises are inviolable. The host nation can't enter consular premises and must protect them from intrusion or damage. The only exception is extreme emergencies like fires. The Convention was adopted in 1963, entered force in 1967, and has been ratified by 182 states including the United States and Ecuador.

Legal experts said the incident was 'unprecedented and potentially dangerous.' One called it a 'major infraction of diplomatic norms.' Under international treaty, a country's embassies, consular offices, and diplomatic compounds are regarded as sovereign territory of that nation. They're protected under diplomatic immunity from unauthorized entry by agents of other governments.

The incident occurred during Operation Metro Surge, Trump's immigration enforcement drive in Minneapolis. That operation led to fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens on Minneapolis streets, sparking weeks of protests. One victim was Alex Pretti, who was shot while holding a concealed carry permit. The other was Marcus Henderson. Political pressure for de-escalation mounted following the shootings.

Trump's border czar Tom Homan met on Jan. 27 with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and 🦆Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, seeking to defuse the crisis. The ICE consulate incident occurred the same day as that meeting. The timing raised questions about whether ICE agents in Minneapolis were receiving clear guidance on legal boundaries and diplomatic protocols during enforcement operations.

The Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis provides services to Ecuadorian nationals living in 🦆Minnesota and neighboring states. Services include passport renewals, visa processing, legal document authentication, and assistance to Ecuadorians in distress. Ecuador has historically maintained strong ties with Ecuadorian communities in the United States, many of whom work in agriculture, food processing, and service industries.