Army Veteran Arrested After ICE Fire Attack

A New York Army veteran is in custody after federal officials say he set a fire outside an immigration court building and targeted ICE.

Quick Take

Federal officials identified the suspect as **Andrew Arrabaca**, a 43-year-old former U.S. Army soldier, and said he was taken into custody soon after the incident.
Investigators said he carried incendiary devices, a flammable liquid, and several weapons, including axes, a machete, and knives.
Officials said Arrabaca made anti-government and anti-ICE statements during the incident.
Three people suffered minor injuries, and no charges had been announced in the latest briefing.

Federal Agents Say the Attack Was Deliberate

Federal officials say the July 20 fire outside 26 Federal Plaza was not a random blaze. They identified Andrew Arrabaca, a former U.S. Army soldier, as the man in custody and said he had already been interviewed. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said he “came armed with bad intentions,” and officials described the scene as a targeted attack on a building that houses immigration court offices.

The account from investigators included more than one warning sign. Officials said Arrabaca poured gasoline, ignited it, and fired an airsoft rifle or pellet gun toward the building. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also said he made anti-government and anti-ICE statements during the incident. Those details matter because they move the case beyond protest and into a much more serious public safety event.

What Investigators Say They Found

Authorities said they recovered a cart with anti-ICE material, including a sign reading “ICE off our streets.” They also described two airsoft rifles or pellet guns, six incendiary devices or fireworks, a container with flammable liquid, and several blades and tools. That mix of items suggests preparation, not a spur-of-the-moment outburst, although officials have not yet released a full charging decision or full forensic report.

Video and witness accounts also appear to back up the government’s timeline. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the incident was captured on New York City Police Department camera footage, and investigators said witnesses helped confirm the sequence of events. That kind of evidence matters because it can reduce the room for spin after a high-profile attack. It also makes the case harder to explain away as a simple act of vandalism.

Why the Case Is Drawing Wider Attention

Arrabaca’s military background is part of why the case has spread quickly. Officials said he served in the Army from 2001 to 2005 and worked on Patriot missile systems. That fact will likely shape how people react, since veteran status often brings public sympathy even when a suspect faces serious allegations. It also shows a broader problem many Americans already distrust: people with training, access, or service records turning against federal targets.

Authorities said that a 43-year-old US Army veteran protesting ICE was taken into custody after he ignited fireworks and set a fire on the steps of the building that houses the agency's office in New York https://t.co/rIiZBqs94I pic.twitter.com/UilIgOysfA

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 21, 2026

The case also highlights a familiar split in public language. Some outlets and advocacy voices use terms like “anti-ICE activist,” while federal officials used much harsher language and called Arrabaca an anti-American, anti-government extremist. No public evidence has yet overturned the core facts officials described, but charges had still not been announced in the latest update. That gap leaves room for confusion, speculation, and political framing.