ICE, Ecuador Clash After Suspect Flees Into Minneapolis Consulate

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said officers conducting a targeted enforcement operation on Jan. 27, 2026 identified Jorge Miguel Bravo Uriles and that he fled into the Consulate of Ecuador in Minneapolis; ICE said its officers did not enter the consulate and the suspect remains at large.

Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said consulate staff prevented an ICE officer from entering at about 11 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2026, activated emergency protocols to protect Ecuadorian nationals and submitted a formal note of protest to the U.S. embassy in Quito.

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said in a statement that any effort by U.S. law enforcement to enter a diplomatic facility without permission is unlawful and 'outrageous,' and the Department of Homeland Security and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Video circulating online and images reviewed by independent analysts show agents attempting to enter the building and visible seals identifying it as the Consulate of Ecuador, a detail ICE disputes by saying the building was not clearly marked.

Ecuador’s formal protest coupled with Operation Metro Surge — which has deployed about 3,000 agents — has heightened diplomatic tensions and could prompt State Department follow-up while Jorge Miguel Bravo Uriles remains at large.