ICE Officers Attempt Unauthorised Entry at Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis
Federal immigration officers have nearly triggered a significant international incident this week after attempting to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without proper authorisation. Ecuador's foreign ministry has described the event as an "attempted intrusion" and has lodged a formal complaint with United States authorities, highlighting serious diplomatic tensions.
Conflicting Accounts Over Consulate Identification
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) claims that its officers were pursuing an Ecuadorian immigrant who fled into the building, with an agency spokesperson asserting the consulate was "not clearly marked." This claim appears contradictory to visual evidence from the scene.
According to widely circulated footage of Tuesday's incident, two substantial seals reading "Consulate de Ecuador" are prominently displayed on the brick building's exterior. One seal is positioned directly above the main entrance that officers attempted to access. Additionally, another sign to the left of the front door features the Ecuadorian flag alongside the words "Republica del Ecuador."
Confrontation at the Consulate Entrance
Video evidence reveals a tense standoff as masked immigration officers tried to open the consulate door while a staff member rushed to block their entry. An officer can be heard stating, "If you touch me, I will grab you," to which the consulate employee firmly responded, "You cannot enter here. This is a consulate. This is a foreign government property."
Ecuador's foreign ministry confirmed that consulate staff successfully prevented ICE officers from entering the diplomatic premises, thereby "ensuring the protection of the Ecuadorians who were in that moment at the consular headquarters." Emergency protocols were immediately activated following the attempted intrusion.
Diplomatic Protests and Legal Protections
The Ecuadorian government has issued a formal complaint to the US Embassy in Ecuador, demanding assurances that similar incidents will not recur at any of Ecuador's consular offices across the United States. This diplomatic action underscores the seriousness with which Quito views the violation of consular protections.
Under the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic Relations, which the United States has ratified, embassies and consulates are considered sovereign territory of the sending state. These international treaties grant diplomatic immunity and explicitly prohibit host nation officers from making unauthorised entries, making ICE's actions potentially in breach of established international law.
ICE's Justification and Ongoing Tensions
ICE maintains that officers were conducting a "targeted enforcement operation" to apprehend Jorge Miguel Bravo Uriles, an individual with previous arrests including allegations of sexual assault and a 2022 driving while intoxicated charge. According to the agency, the subject "fled into a nearby building" that officers allegedly did not recognise as the Ecuadorian Consulate.
"The ICE officers were focused on arresting the criminal illegal alien, their own safety, and the safety of the public," an agency statement asserted. "At no time did the ICE officers enter the Consulate. The Consulate employees protected this public safety threat illegal alien. He is still at large."
Broader Context of Immigration Enforcement in Minneapolis
This incident occurs amidst escalating tensions surrounding immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, where approximately 3,000 masked and heavily armed ICE agents have been deployed under the current administration's policies. The city remains deeply affected by recent violence, including the fatal shootings of US citizens and demonstrators Alex Pretti and Renee Good by immigration officers earlier this month.
Several high-profile arrests have specifically targeted Ecuadorian nationals in the region. These include five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who was arrested in their suburban Minneapolis driveway last week. A poignant image of the preschooler wearing a Spider-Man backpack and woolly hat during his father's detention has generated substantial public outrage.
Liam, currently detained with his father at an ICE facility in Texas, has reportedly fallen ill, sleeps excessively, and repeatedly asks for his mother according to family members and visiting congressional representatives. A federal judge has temporarily blocked their immediate removal from the country following legal action against the administration.
Another case involving an Ecuadorian man identified as Juan T.R. has provoked judicial condemnation, with Minnesota's chief federal judge threatening to hold ICE's acting director in contempt for repeated violations of court orders. These incidents collectively illustrate growing friction between immigration enforcement agencies, diplomatic protocols, and judicial oversight in current US immigration policy implementation.
