In the early morning of March 30, 2025, an individual set fire to the New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, causing significant damage to the lobby and front door. Graffiti reading "ICE=KKK" was also found on the south side of the building. No one was injured in the incident, and the fire was declared as an arson attack by the Republican Party of New Mexico.
Incident The attack happened on March 30, 2025, at 5:55 a.m. The perpetrator used an improvised incendiary device, consisting of a glass container filled with a flammable liquid mixture. Responders also found graffiti on the south side of the building reading "ice = KKK". The fire was brought under control within five minutes of firefighters arriving, but the building suffered structural damage in the front entranceway and smoke damage across the building. The fire did not cause any injuries.
Investigation and arrest The arson was investigated by the Albuquerque Police Department, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Investigators linked the March 30 attack to an earlier arson on February 9, 2025, at a Tesla dealership in Bernalillo County, citing similarities in the use of improvised incendiary devices (glass containers filled with flammable liquids and polystyrene).
Evidence and charges Federal investigators linked the two arsons through matching improvised incendiary devices (glass jars containing a flammable mixture with polystyrene, resembling napalm), similar graffiti, surveillance footage showing a white 2015 Hyundai Accent, and the suspect's physical description. A search of his Albuquerque residence on April 12, 2025, yielded eight assembled incendiary devices, matching materials (including jars with handwritten "I" or "H" markings), a stencil for the "ICE=KKK" graffiti, black and red spray paint, and clothing consistent with the suspect in the videos. On April 14, 2025, the suspect was federally charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives. He remained in custody pending trial, originally scheduled for September 14, 2026. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on both counts.
Aftermath The attack came amid protests against moves by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Republican headquarters remained closed for eight months while under repairs, and reopened to the public on December 6, 2025.
The attack has been cited by Republican officials as a pattern of political violence in the United States, specifically in New Mexico.
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