Former Army soldier Andrew Arrabaca charged with arson in attack on Manhattan federal building housing ICE offices
Andrew Arrabaca, 43, a former U.S. Army soldier, was charged with federal arson on July 22, 2026, after igniting an incendiary device, fireworks, and gasoline on the sidewalk outside 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, which houses an ICE field office and immigration court. Three people were injured in the attack. Arrabaca appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn F. Tarnofsky, who ordered him evaluated at a federal lockup in Brooklyn rather than a VA mental health facility.
28
Divergence score
This event sits in the top 23% of divergence this week. 6 outlets covered it, splitting into 5 framing camps across 3 bias groups.
5 camps
3 bias groups
The spectrum · how 6 outlets placed this story
LeftCenterRight
Washington Examiner
AP News
Washington Times
Reuters
NY Post
CNN
Supportive of action
Neutral
Dismissive
Critical
Alarmist
International angle
Widest split · the two outlets furthest apart, and who published first
Furthest apart on this story
Washington Examiner
Former soldier charged with arson in Manhattan ICE facility firebombing
Government-property attack, criminal accountability focus · negative
CNN
Army veteran charged with arson after allegedly throwing incendiary device at NYC federal building
neutral
First to report
- CNNfirst
- Washington Times+28.2 h
- NY Post+28.8 h
- Reuters+30.8 h
- Washington Examiner+32.7 h
By each outlet's earliest publish time in this story. Feeds that index slowly can appear later than they printed.
The split, in one line
Most outlets report the same facts neutrally, but the NY Post leads with "crazed" and frames Arrabaca as a threat who eyed other sites, while AP and Washington Times emphasize his court rights and note the building was a hub of protests against Trump's immigration crackdown, context the Examiner omits.
How each outlet covered it
Only the right is covering this
One side of the spectrum has stayed silent. That absence is itself a signal.
0
LEFT OUTLETS
0 of 5 outlets covering this story sit on that side of the spectrum.
0LEFT OUTLETS
THE RIGHT
“Former soldier charged with arson in Manhattan ICE facility firebombing”WE Washington Examiner RIGHT
DOWN THE MIDDLE
“New York army veteran in custody after fire set outside ICE offices” · AP News, Reuters
+Hide the full sourcingSee how all 6 outlets put it
CENTER2
APAP News Arson charge lodged against ex-Army soldier in fiery attack on Manhattan federal building RReuters New York army veteran in custody after fire set outside ICE offices 51d ago RIGHT3
WEWashington Examiner Former soldier charged with arson in Manhattan ICE facility firebombing 51d ago WTWashington Times Arson charge lodged against ex-Army soldier in fiery attack on Manhattan federal building 52d ago NYPNY Post Crazed army veteran who set fire outside NYC ICE HQ eyed other Big Apple sites first: feds 52d ago 8 tracked claims across 6 outlets
Fact ledger
All8Claimed2Corroborated6
2/6
Claimed
Arrabaca told investigators he did not care if he killed people
Corroborated
Disputed
7 more tracked claimsSign up free to see the full ledger