Shocking Video Captures Moment Incendiary Blast Rocks Manhattan Federal Building Housing ICE and Immigration Court – Minor Injuries Reported, Terrorism Task Force Investigates

On the morning of July 20, 2026, security cameras and bystander videos captured a startling scene outside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan when an unidentified suspect deliberately ignited an incendiary device composed of fireworks soaked in flammable liquid, producing a loud detonation, thick smoke, and visible flames right at the building entrance around 8:30 a.m., an event that quickly drew a massive emergency response from NYPD, federal police, and the bomb squad.

The perpetrator, described by sources as an anti-ICE activist who may have been dealing with emotional difficulties, arrived pulling a cart emblazoned with protest signs demanding “ICE off our streets,” which also contained additional fireworks, two long airsoft or pellet rifles, and other materials; he reportedly menaced nearby passersby before federal officers swiftly took him into custody at the scene without further escalation.

The FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force has launched a full investigation into the targeted incident at the 41-story federal building that houses critical immigration enforcement operations, with preliminary reports confirming minor injuries to three individuals including two firefighters who were treated at local hospitals; New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement calling the blast “deeply disturbing,” expressed relief that no one was seriously hurt, and committed his administration to assisting the federal authorities in holding the suspect fully accountable.