Federal Building Evacuated in NYC Due to White Powder Incident
On Thursday, the 26 federal plaza buildings in New York City, which include offices for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), were evacuated after an envelope containing an unknown white powder was discovered, according to officials.
The Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building, located in Manhattan’s Fourley Square, houses various government agencies. It had recently garnered media attention due to ICE agents apprehending undocumented immigrants right after they left immigration hearings. In a statement from DHS, it was confirmed that an evacuation took place after the substance was found; however, they reassured that by Thursday evening, “there were no signs of danger.”
“ICE is currently responding to an ongoing emergency at 26 Federal Plazas,” stated DHS. “Unknown material was discovered in one of the ICE chambers. Due to the heightened attention, federal buildings have been evacuated as a precaution for the safety of those inside. Some individuals were evacuated as part of established safety protocols.”
“At this moment, there are no dangers posed to the public. We are urging the community to stay away so emergency responders can effectively manage the situation,” added the DHS.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams confirmed on X that, thankfully, no injuries had been reported. “As a New Yorker, I want to inform you about the issues occurring at 26 Federal Squares regarding the envelopes containing white powder. There are no known injuries at this time,” he mentioned. “While we await test results from our federal partners, the Hazmat team is on-site to ensure the safety of everyone both inside and outside the building.”
Reports indicated that the envelope was found on the ninth floor of the building housing ICE operations. At a press conference, New York City Vice Mayor Kazu Dirtley noted that they are still waiting for the test results regarding the contents of the envelope.
As of now, no arrests have been made related to this incident, which remains under investigation by the FBI.
