In a startling incident, a prominent federal building in Lower Manhattan was placed under lockdown after envelopes containing a mysterious white powder were discovered in the mailroom. The building houses major federal agencies, including ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), DHS (Department of Homeland Security), and the FBI.
Emergency responders—including hazmat teams—swiftly evacuated the building and launched a full-scale investigation. Two people were exposed to the substance, though no one reported serious injuries. Authorities treated the situation as a serious threat, prompting rapid containment efforts and testing of the powder.
By the next day, preliminary lab results revealed that the substance was non-hazardous—identified as boric acid, a common but non-lethal chemical. Despite these findings, the incident has raised urgent security concerns, especially given the building’s role in immigration processing and enforcement.
Officials reaffirmed that, while no public health risk remains, sending such threatening materials—whether genuine threats or hoaxes—is a criminal offense. The FBI is pursuing the matter further to identify and hold accountable whoever was behind it.
