Preliminary tests show 'no dangerous substance' in envelopes found at ICE office in NYC, Adams tells WINS

Suspicious letters were sent to the ICE field office at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan
Suspicious letters were sent to the ICE field office at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. Photo credit Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Preliminary tests show the white powder found at an ICE field office in Lower Manhattan on Thursday wasn’t a “dangerous substance,” Mayor Eric Adams told 1010 WINS on Friday.

“We are told the preliminary results indicate there was no dangerous substance that was involved,” Adams said in an interview with WINS anchor Susan Richard.

“But let’s be clear,” the mayor added. “This still is a serious crime, and the FBI is going to conduct their investigation, and anything we can do to assist, we will do so. This is a crime. It should not have happened. And we’re going to make sure the person responsible is brought to justice.”

Five letters with white powder were found in the mail room of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The building—26 Federal Plaza—has been the scene of intense protests in recent months against President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown. A holding facility for detained migrants is in the building.

“Our weapons of mass destruction and hazardous evidence response teams immediately responded to the scene,” said Christopher Raia, FBI assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, which is also located in the building.

Raia said the letters were sent to the FBI’s lab in Quantico, Virginia, for further testing.

The building was quickly evacuated after the letters were found, and while two people were exposed, no one was injured, the FDNY said.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images