Attack on ICE Facility in Yakima Claimed by Local Anarchists
Executive Summary
On August 15, 2025, the anarchist site Puget Sound Anarchists carried a short unsigned communiqué claiming responsibility for vandalism and fire-setting at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations office in Yakima, Washington. The statement framed the incident as a symbolic attack against ICE and referenced the presence of Palantir terminals inside the facility. Local media confirm that on August 2 a rock was thrown through a window at the office on River Road and a small fire was set nearby, which also burned part of a fence and a homeless encampment. No injuries or significant structural damage were reported, though Yakima Fire officials suspect arson. This represents another instance of anarchist-linked activity targeting ICE offices in the Pacific Northwest.
Key Judgments
Key Judgment 1
The anarchist claim explicitly links the Yakima ICE office to Palantir surveillance systems, positioning the attack within a broader critique of technological and state repression.
Evidence: The communiqué asserts that the office “houses Palantir terminals that require physical access to use.”
Key Judgment 2
Local authorities treated the incident as suspicious arson, but the physical damage was limited and swiftly contained.
Evidence: Yakima Fire Department reported a fire destroying a privacy screen and nearby encampment, but “no damage to the building from the fire.”
Analysis
The Yakima incident fits a pattern of anarchist and anti-ICE direct actions across the U.S., where symbolic acts (graffiti, window-breaking, small fires) are used to generate media and movement attention. By highlighting Palantir’s presence, the communiqué situates the attack within broader opposition to surveillance technology and the criminalization of migrants.
Although the fire was limited, arson’s inclusion increases the severity from simple vandalism to potentially felonious conduct. DHS and local law enforcement have not reported suspects or arrests. Political condemnation, such as from Rep. Dan Newhouse, indicates the event is being framed as politically motivated violence even though no group formally signed the communiqué.
Given the modest physical damage, the propaganda value is likely the main intended outcome, leveraging local press coverage alongside the anarchist claim to demonstrate resistance against federal immigration enforcement.
