ICE agents blocked from attempting to enter Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without permission

ICE agents blocked from attempting to enter Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without permission

Ecuador’s minister of foreign affairs has filed a protest with the U.S. Embassy after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tried to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without permission on Tuesday.

A video of the attempt on social media shows a consulate staffer running to the door to turn the ICE agents away around 11 a.m., telling them, “This is the Ecuadorian consulate. You’re not allowed to enter.” One ICE officer can be heard responding by threatening to “grab” the staffer if he touched the agent before agreeing to leave.

International law generally prohibits law enforcement authorities from entering foreign consulates or embassies without permission, though sometimes permission may be assumed granted for life-threatening emergencies, such as fires.

“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 and activating the emergency protocols issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility,” the ministry wrote on X.

A “note of protest” was filed with the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador so that similar attempts aren’t made at other consulates, the ministry said. The State Department, Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Minneapolis City Council Member Elliot Payne released a video statement in response to the incident, stating that he spoke with Ambassador Yanez on Tuesday afternoon, who reassured the Ecuadorian community that it is still safe to come to the consulate.

Legal experts said the ICE agent’s reported attempt to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis raises legal and diplomatic concerns.

Ana Pottratz Acosta, University of Minnesota Law School professor and an affiliate of the James H. Binger Center for New Americans, said ICE agents generally do not have the authority to enter a foreign consulate without permission.

“As a general matter, no, it would not be legal,” Acosta said.

While U.S. consulates and embassies are technically located on U.S. soil, Acosta explained they are governed by international law. Under those rules, U.S. law enforcement must either have explicit permission from consulate officials or a judicial warrant to enter.

Acosta said she has never seen a situation like this before involving immigration enforcement.

“It’s beyond unusual,” Acosta said. “This is unprecedented and potentially dangerous.”

According to Acosta, actions like this can have consequences beyond immigration enforcement.

She said attempting to enter a foreign consulate without authorization could strain diplomatic relations between the United States and Ecuador, a U.S. ally in South America.

“There are rules of the road under international law,” Acosta explained. “We respect the autonomy of Ecuador’s consular posts here so that, in return, Ecuador respects the autonomy of U.S. embassies and consulates operating abroad.”

She described the incident as a “major infraction of diplomatic norms.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.