Officials reject claims ICE vehicle was deliberately set on fire

"BREAKING: A minivan operated by ICE has reportedly been set ablaze during operations in Philadelphia. If found to be intentional, which it appears to be, this is literal leftwing terrorism to make sure our country continues to be invaded," says a February 18, 2025 X post from Charlie Kirk, a Christian nationalist influencer who has previously shared misinformation.

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Screenshot from X taken February 19, 2025

The same claim has circulated elsewhere on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, Rumble and Gettr -- including in Spanish, Portuguese and French.

US immigration authorities have arrested and deported thousands of migrants living unlawfully in the country as part of President Donald Trump's campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration.

The administration has received pushback from Democratic city leaders who have implemented "sanctuary" laws, preventing law enforcement from arresting people based on their immigration status and limiting what types of information city agencies share with federal authorities.

Several protests in US cities, including Philadelphia, have broken out against the deportation measures. However, there is no evidence anyone deliberately set the ICE van ablaze.

Rachel Cunningham, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department, said the vehicle fire, which started in South Philadelphia near the Delaware River, was ruled an accident and that officials had found no evidence of criminal activity. She said the department was informed of the incident just after 8:30 am (0338 GMT) and that one engine company was able to douse the flames.

"Our Fire Marshal's Office was called to the scene as standard operating procedure since it was a government vehicle. Upon speaking with the driver of the vehicle, the Fire Marshal determined that this fire was accidental," she said in a February 19 email. "Thankfully, no one was injured, and our Fire Marshal found no indication of foul play or suspicious circumstances."

ICE also confirmed investigators did not suspect the fire was intentional and that no agency personnel were injured.

"A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle experienced mechanical issues and caught on fire in South Philadelphia, today. The Philadelphia Fire Department extinguished the flames after arriving on scene. There were no injuries due to the fast response from the fire department and the vehicle's occupants," ICE spokesperson Tanya Roman said in a February 19 email.

"The cause of the fire is unknown, but no foul play is suspected at this time."

AFP has debunked other claims about US immigration enforcement here.