The FBI has described a fire set outside a Manhattan federal building on Monday as an 'anti-government attack', after a man armed with airsoft rifles ignited fireworks and doused the ground in flammable liquid.
The blaze broke out at around 11am outside 26 Federal Plaza, a building in Lower Manhattan's Foley Square that houses US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an immigration court, the FBI's New York field office and several other federal agencies. Two people, a federal employee and a civilian, were treated for minor injuries and released.
Video captured the moment a man with a history of anti-ICE activity set off an "incendiary device" outside a Manhattan federal building that houses an immigration court, authorities said. The suspect poured a liquid and then ignited it using fireworks, sparking a massive fire,… pic.twitter.com/NpeDchMVUi
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) July 20, 2026
Suspect Wheeled Cart of Weapons and Anti-ICE Sign to Federal Plaza
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle said the suspect used fireworks to start the blaze, describing the incident as an 'anti-government attack on a federal facility'.
Barnacle said the man had an incendiary device, a pellet gun and a sign reading 'ICE Off Our Streets'. The sign was attached to a cart the man wheeled to the scene before the fire broke out.
The New York Police Department said that a firearm was recovered in connection with the incident, though it was not confirmed whether it was found on the suspect himself. The man was wearing a helmet and carrying carbon dioxide cartridges, items consistent with operating an airsoft weapon.
The suspect was pulling a cart that held long guns, additional fireworks and other items when he approached the building, according to NYPD accounts. Law enforcement sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, believe the man is a protester with a history of anti-ICE activity, though his identity has not been officially confirmed by police or the FBI.
This morning an individual deployed an incendiary device outside of 26 Federal Plaza in New York. The individual is in custody and two minor injuries reported thus far. FBI JTTF is investigating the incident. @NewYorkFBI
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) July 20, 2026
Flames Erupt at Building Steps as Officers Apprehend Suspect
Video circulating online showed the man pouring liquid onto the ground before setting it alight, sending a thick plume of smoke into the air near the building's steps. Federal officers were seen rushing out of the building moments later and appearing to apprehend the man, who was led back inside in handcuffs.
The flames spread quickly but were extinguished by fire crews before they reached the building itself, which processes immigration cases and houses federal law enforcement offices. New York's bomb squad was also called to examine the man's cart as a precaution, though officials have not said whether any further explosive material was found.
Joint Terrorism Task Force Takes Over as FBI Investigates 'Anti-Government Attack'
The FBI's New York Joint Terrorism Task Force has taken over the investigation. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on social media that the suspect was in custody and that two minor injuries had been reported, adding that the task force was 'investigating the incident'.
The building at 26 Federal Plaza has been the site of repeated protests in recent months, as demonstrators have gathered outside its immigration court to object to ICE enforcement activity across the city. Monday's fire marks one of the more serious incidents at the site to date, given the presence of weapons and an ignited device.
What occurred outside 26 Federal Plaza this morning was deeply disturbing. I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody. My team is in touch with the NYPD and we will support the federal investigation.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 20, 2026
Our administration will continue to ensure that…
Officials React to the Attack
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident 'deeply disturbing' and said he was relieved no one was seriously hurt. He said his administration was in touch with the NYPD and would 'continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city'.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the attack was 'completely unacceptable' and that he had been briefed by law enforcement, adding that he was 'praying for the safety of all those impacted'.
No charges have yet been publicly announced against the suspect, and officials have not said whether he will face state or federal prosecution. The investigation remains active, with authorities yet to release further details on the man's background or motive.
The incident places renewed scrutiny on security at federal immigration facilities, which have become flashpoints for protest activity across the US amid ongoing ICE enforcement operations. With the FBI actively investigating the fire as a potential act of domestic terrorism, the case could shape how federal authorities respond to future protests targeting immigration enforcement buildings, and how heavily such sites are guarded going forward.
