Ecuador Protests After ICE Officers Denied Entry to Consulate in Minneapolis

By Staff, Agencies

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were denied entry to the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis on Tuesday, prompting a formal diplomatic protest from Quito over what it described as a violation of consular protections.

Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry said it lodged an official complaint with US authorities, stressing that the attempted entry breached established international norms governing diplomatic and consular premises.

The ministry added that it submitted a formal note of protest to the US Embassy in Ecuador to ensure similar incidents are not repeated at Ecuadorian consular offices across the United States.

According to Ecuadorian officials, ICE officers approached the consulate at around 11 a.m. local time.

Consulate staff blocked their entry and activated internal emergency procedures, which the ministry said were intended to safeguard Ecuadorian nationals inside the building.

Video footage circulating on social media appears to show the encounter. In the video, a consulate staff member rushes to the entrance and tells the officers that they are not permitted to enter the premises. An ICE officer is heard responding that he would “grab” the staffer if they touched him, before the agents eventually step back and leave. The footage has not been independently verified.

Ecuadorian authorities emphasized that consular premises are protected under international law and warned that any attempt to violate those protections constitutes a serious diplomatic breach.