A former Army soldier with anti-ICE slogans, weapons, and fireworks allegedly tried to set a major New York federal building on fire as the FBI now calls it an “anti-government attack.”
Story Snapshot
- Army veteran Andrew Arrabaca is in custody after a fiery attack outside 26 Federal Plaza.
- Authorities say he poured gasoline, ignited it, and used fireworks and an airsoft rifle at the federal site.
- The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident as an anti-government attack on a federal facility.
- Officials say Arrabaca carried axes, knives, anti-ICE slogans, and a manifesto in a cart near the scene.
Federal Plaza Attack: What Authorities Say Happened
Monday morning around 8:20 a.m., smoke and flames erupted outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, a key federal building that houses an immigration court and several national security agencies. Authorities say 43-year-old former Army soldier Andrew Arrabaca arrived at the employee entrance, poured gasoline on the steps, and then ignited it. Investigators report he also launched fireworks into the blaze and fired pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building as people tried to enter and exit.
Federal officials say security personnel tackled Arrabaca and took him into custody as the fire burned near the entrance. The fire department quickly put out the flames, but not before smoke and chaos swept across the front of the building, which has long been a protest site for activists who oppose firm immigration enforcement. Authorities say at least three people, including firefighters and a civilian, suffered minor injuries during the event, underscoring how close this came to serious harm.
Who Is Andrew Arrabaca and What Was in His Cart?
Officials have identified the suspect as Andrew Arrabaca, a 43-year-old former United States Army soldier who worked on Patriot missile systems. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Arrabaca arrived armed with multiple weapons, including pellet or airsoft guns, knives, axes, a hammer, and a machete. Law enforcement sources say he also brought a cart marked with the slogan “ICE off our streets,” along with anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement literature and what officials are calling a manifesto.
FBI New York Assistant Director James Barnacle told reporters that Arrabaca is an “anti-American, anti-government extremist” who “came armed with bad intentions.” Barnacle says Arrabaca fired five to seven pellets from an airsoft rifle toward the building and admitted he was ready to hurt or kill anyone entering or leaving the federal facility. Investigators say he had a history of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and may have taken part in prior protests targeting the same location.
Domestic Terrorism Talk Without Formal Charges
The FBI says its New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is now handling the case and is treating the incident as an “anti-government attack on a federal facility.” Former agents appearing on television have said Arrabaca could face domestic terrorism charges and possible counts tied to weapons of mass destruction based on how he used fire and explosives near a government building. Federal arson against United States property can carry mandatory minimum prison time of five years and up to twenty years or more for each count, even before any terrorism label is added.
A chaotic incident unfolded Monday morning outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, the federal building that houses ICE offices, an immigration court, and FBI offices.
According to the FBI and NYPD, a 43-year-old former U.S. Army soldier allegedly ignited an incendiary… pic.twitter.com/MiEM0TiDps
— Mighty News (@Mighty__News) July 21, 2026
At this point, however, officials have not publicly announced a formal indictment or detailed list of charges. Reporters note that no Department of Justice filing yet confirms a legal terrorism designation, even as law enforcement continues to use that language in briefings. That gap leaves room for debate over how the case will be handled in court, but it does not change the facts that federal agents, firefighters, and civilians were put at risk by an intentional fire and explosive incident outside a major immigration hub in New York City.
Why This Matters for Security, Immigration, and Free Speech
26 Federal Plaza is not just another office tower; it houses Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, and other agencies that guard our borders and enforce federal law. For years, activists angry about immigration enforcement have targeted this building with protests and slogans, but this incident crosses a very different line. Authorities are now confronting a case where a man with anti-ICE messaging, weapons, and a manifesto allegedly tried to turn protest into fire and force outside a federal court and enforcement site.
For many Americans, especially those who support firm immigration enforcement and limited government, the facts raise hard questions. Free speech allows signs, chants, and peaceful rallies. It does not allow gasoline fires, fireworks, and airsoft rifles aimed at federal property and people going to work. As the Trump administration’s second term works to secure borders and restore order, cases like Arrabaca’s will test whether federal prosecutors and judges fully back the rule of law when anti-government extremists move from protest to violent action.
Sources:
townhall.com, ntd.com, nyc.gov, bostonglobe.com, vinnews.com, wrganews.com, nyccriminalattorneys.com
