Authorities arrested a former Army soldier Monday morning after he allegedly ignited a fire outside a federal office building in Lower Manhattan [1].
The incident targeted 26 Federal Plaza [2], a 41-story complex [3] that houses an office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Because the site is a high-profile government installation in a densely populated area, the event triggered a rapid response from federal law enforcement.
Andrew Arrabaca, 43 [1], is accused of deploying an incendiary device to start the blaze [1]. According to reports, the device consisted of fireworks, an air-soft rifle, and an incendiary liquid [4]. Other reports suggested the device contained fireworks only [5].
Investigators said the device was transported to the scene on a cart [4]. Anti-ICE messaging was reportedly plastered on the cart used in the attack [4]. The fire sent smoke billowing from the area outside the federal complex [6] before it was contained.
Arrabaca is a veteran of the U.S. Army [1]. He was taken into custody following the incident on July 20, 2026 [7]. Federal officials said they are continuing to investigate the full scope of the event and the specific materials used in the device [2].
Law enforcement officials said the area was secured shortly after the fire began. No injuries were reported in the immediate aftermath of the deployment [6].
“Andrew Arrabaca, 43, is accused of deploying an incendiary device to start the blaze.”
This incident reflects a escalation of protest tactics targeting federal immigration facilities. By using a combination of incendiary materials and symbolic messaging at a high-visibility Manhattan landmark, the act seeks to draw maximum attention to anti-ICE sentiment while testing the security perimeter of federal office complexes in urban centers.
