Man Charged with Federal Arson After Attack Outside NYC Immigration Court
A 43-year-old Army veteran was indicted on federal arson charges for setting off fireworks, firing an air-soft rifle and igniting a flammable liquid outside New York’s main immigration court, injuring three people.
Federal prosecutors charged Andrew Arrabaca, 43, with arson after he allegedly set off fireworks, fired an air-soft rifle and poured a flammable liquid outside the 26 Federal Plaza building, the city’s largest immigration court, early Monday. Law enforcement said he shouted anti-ICE remarks, displayed a sign reading “ICE off our streets,” and used axes, a hammer, a machete and knives during the incident. Two federal employees and one immigrant on their way to a hearing sustained minor injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Fry told the court that Arrabaca, an Army veteran, had planned the attack for months, purchasing supplies as early as January and scouting the building to target a busy entrance. She said he provided a “fulsome confession” and was aware of the risk to the public and to himself.
Fry asked Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky to keep Arrabaca detained pending trial, citing a danger to the public and flight risk. The judge noted his homelessness and unemployment, and ultimately ordered him jailed rather than sent to a psychiatric facility.
Federal defender Jennifer Brown argued that the evidence was strong but requested release to a locked Veterans Affairs psychiatric ward for evaluation, citing the veteran’s lack of prior criminal history and recent loss of employment. She highlighted signs of suicidality on the helmet he wore at the scene and suggested he had not received appropriate psychiatric care while in detention.
Judge Tarnofsky expressed concern that Arrabaca had previously been diagnosed with a mental illness, stopped medication in 2021, and chose not to seek medical help before the attack. She ordered prosecutors to arrange a mental-health evaluation at the Metropolitan Detention Center and consider alternative detention options for treatment.
James Barnacle, assistant director of the FBI’s New York field office, confirmed the injuries and the variety of weapons found in Arrabaca’s possession. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said a “manifesto” was recovered from his bag.