Footage has emerged showing an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent attempting to gain entry to Ecuador's consulate in Minneapolis, only to be thwarted by a vigilant employee. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday morning, has escalated into a formal diplomatic complaint lodged with the United States embassy in Quito by Ecuador's foreign ministry.
Diplomatic Protocol Breached in Minneapolis
This confrontation unfolded against the backdrop of an intensified federal campaign in Minnesota's largest city, where ICE and other agencies have been conducting arrests of individuals suspected of residing in the United States unlawfully. The operation, known as "Metro Surge," has already sparked significant controversy following the tragic deaths of two US citizens.
According to a statement released by Ecuador's foreign ministry, the consul in Minneapolis reported that around 11:00 am, an ICE agent sought to enter the consulate premises. Consulate officials acted swiftly to block the officer's access, thereby safeguarding any Ecuadorian nationals present within the diplomatic facility at that moment.
Official Protest and International Repercussions
In response to what it deemed a serious violation, Ecuador's foreign minister promptly submitted a formal note of protest to the US Embassy in Ecuador. The diplomatic communication explicitly demanded that such actions not be repeated at any of Ecuador's consular offices across the United States, underscoring the gravity with which Quito views the breach.
Verified video footage from Reuters captures the tense exchange at the consulate entrance. An employee is seen firmly informing the agent, "This is the consulate of Ecuador, you are not allowed to enter." The agent retorts, "Relax, relax, I didn't enter," before issuing a warning: "If you touch me, I will grab you." Shortly thereafter, the agent departed the scene.
Political Condemnation and Broader Concerns
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, and the State Department have remained silent, declining to comment on the incident. However, the political fallout has been immediate and severe.
Greg Meeks, the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, lambasted the episode as "another outrageous and unacceptable disregard for the rule of law" by the current administration. He emphasised that it constitutes a clear breach of established diplomatic protocols, which are designed to protect such facilities for critical reasons.
"Any effort by US law enforcement officials to enter another country's diplomatic facility without permission is not only unlawful, it risks setting a profoundly dangerous precedent," Meeks warned. He argued that this could potentially endanger American diplomats, service members, and their families stationed abroad, highlighting the far-reaching implications of such actions.
Meeks further characterised the attempted intrusion as a stark indicator "that ICE is completely out of control, operating without rules, restraint, or accountability." This incident adds to the growing scrutiny of ICE's tactics and the broader immigration enforcement strategies being pursued, particularly in urban centres like Minneapolis where operations have intensified.
The standoff at the Ecuadorian consulate not only raises questions about adherence to international diplomatic norms but also fuels the ongoing debate over the methods and boundaries of immigration enforcement agencies in the United States.
