E US Soldier Arrested After Setting Fire Outside NYC Building Housing Immigration Offices
E US Soldier Arrested After Setting Fire Outside NYC Building Housing Immigration Offices Published By, Last Updated: July 21, 2026, 03:35 IST Andrew Arrabaca, 43
E US Soldier Arrested After Setting Fire Outside NYC Building Housing Immigration Offices Published By, Last Updated: July 21, 2026, 03:35 IST Andrew Arrabaca, 43, allegedly poured gasoline outside the Manhattan building before setting it on fire using a lighter and a firework. Footage shared online showed a man dressed in black pouring liquid from a bucket onto a staircase before flames erupted. (AP photo) A former US Army soldier was arrested on Monday after allegedly setting fire outside a federal building in New York City in what officials said appeared to be a protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Andrew Arrabaca, 43, allegedly poured gasoline outside the Manhattan building before setting it on fire using a lighter and a firework. He then allegedly fired pellets from an airsoft rifle during the incident. The fire broke out at 26 Federal Plaza, a building that houses immigration courts and an office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Officials said two government employees and one civilian suffered minor injuries.
🇺🇸: Suspect in Custody After Anti-ICE Protester Sets Fire Outside NYC Federal BuildingOn July 20, 2026, a man with a history of anti-ICE activism deployed an incendiary device outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan, a building housing ICE offices and an immigration court.… pic.twitter.com/bze74oMf54 — World In Last 24hr (@world24x7hr) July 20, 2026 Officials Detail Suspect’s Actions New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said a sign reading “ICE off our streets" was found on a cart that Arrabaca brought near the building. She added that the suspect was wearing a “military-style helmet". FBI official James Barnacle said Arrabaca had arrived at the scene with what he described as “bad intentions". He said officers also found two axes, a hammer and three knives. “When he was being arrested, he yelled derogatory terms to ICE. Used bad words. He is an anti-American, anti-government extremist," Barnacle said. The FBI officer said Arrabaca told investigators he was targeting the building and was willing to hurt or kill people entering or leaving the premises, including federal employees and civilians.
He added that Arrabaca served in the US Army from 2001 to 2005 as a mechanic working on Patriot missile systems. Footage shared online showed a man dressed in black pouring liquid from a bucket onto a staircase before flames erupted. He was later seen running from the area before being tackled and arrested by police. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident as “deeply disturbing" and said he was relieved that no one was seriously injured. “Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that," Mamdani wrote on X. The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the incident. The building also houses several government offices, including the FBI’s New York office. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered What are the charges Andrew Arrabaca faces? Andrew Arrabaca, 43, faces no announced charges as of July 20, 2026.
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