A building in lower Manhattan, 26 Federal Plaza, was evacuated Thursday after suspicious white powder was found inside envelopes on the ninth floor. That floor contains the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices, according to the New York Fire Department.
Mayor Eric Adams said no one was injured, and hazmat teams from the Fire Department are on the scene to make sure the building and surrounding area are safe. He also said the investigation is ongoing and that test results on the powder are still pending.
Kaz Daughtry, New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, posted on X that city teams and federal agencies are working together to investigate. He warned the public to expect more police presence in the area, possible road closures, and to stay away until further notice.
26 Federal Plaza houses several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI’s New York field office, and immigration courtrooms. It also has ICE detention facilities.
Earlier this week, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to improve conditions in the holding facility there. The court demanded that ICE limit the number of detainees, clean the facility, and provide basic supplies like soap and toothbrushes. Detainees had complained of being fed inedible food and enduring foul smells from sweat, waste, and urine.
The building has become a central location in President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
