ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Federal authorities are investigating a fire early Sunday that damaged the entryway to the headquarters of the Republican Party of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Agents working with local authorities recovered unspecified “incendiary materials” at the scene, said Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesperson Cody Monday. He declined to say what the materials were or to share further details.

The fire follows numerous acts of vandalism in recent weeks directed against Tesla, the electric-car company whose owner, Elon Musk, has led Republican President Donald Trump’s effort to slash the federal workforce. Several of those cases involved Molotov cocktails that were used to start fires at dealerships. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has called it a “wave of domestic terrorism.”

Attacks on property carrying the logo of Elon Musk’s electric-car company are cropping up across the U.S. and overseas. While no injuries have been reported, Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been targeted.

Firefighters responded to the fire just before 6 a.m. and brought it under control within about five minutes, according to Lt. Jason Fejer with Albuquerque Fire Rescue.

The building was unoccupied and no one was injured. But the blaze badly burned the entrance and caused extensive smoke damage throughout the office, where three people work full time, according to Fejer and Republican party representatives.

A photo provided by GOP representatives showed the charred entrance of the building with wood and pieces of burned insulation scattered on the ground. A broken and burned door was set to one side.

The GOP office’s security system detected the fire, said New Mexico Republican Party Chair Amy Barela. She credited firefighters with quickly extinguishing the flames and preventing the fire from spreading.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller called arson a cowardly act.

“Politically motivated crimes of any kind are unacceptable, and I am grateful to our fire department for their swift response,” the mayor, a Democrat, said in a statement Sunday afternoon. “This incident is being investigated at the federal level, and I urge anyone with information to report it immediately.”

Barela said GOP representatives also found spray paint on the side of the building about 50 feet from the entrance, saying “ICE=KKK.” Monday, the ATF spokesperson, declined to comment on the graffiti.

Agents from the FBI also were on the scene investigating, according to Fejer. FBI representatives could not be reached immediately for comment.

The Republican Party of New Mexico’s headquarters in Albuquerque was intentionally set on fire in an act of arson and vandalized with a spray-painted phrase “ICE=KKK.”

Why It Matters

During his 2024 campaign, President Donald Trump promised mass deportations of undocumented and criminal migrants, a policy that has been shown to be popular among voters across the political spectrum, before and after the election.

However, the administration has faced backlash for invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, allowing the administration to deport noncitizens without the opportunity for a hearing before an immigration or federal court judge, and for revoking visas for students.

Trump empowered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct arrests in or near sensitive locations such as schools and universities to enforce these policies, such as the arrest of a graduate student from the University of Minnesota, the arrest of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, and the arrest of Palestinian activist and legal U.S. resident Mahmoud Khalil.

What To Know

Albuquerque Fire Rescue responded to an alarm at the New Mexico office of the Republican Party and quickly got control of the fire, according to a post on Facebook.

The Albuquerque Fire Rescue wrote in its post that it dispatched first responders at around 5:56 a.m. local time, with a fire engine on the scene immediately and taking control of the fire within five minutes. Authorities determined the structure had suffered damage to the entryway and smoke damage throughout the building, but they found no injuries to civilians or firefighters.

“AFR Fire Investigators are currently on scene along with teams from the FBI and ATF,” the post read. “This is an active and ongoing investigation. No additional information available at this time.”

But inside the building, members of the party upon returning found that someone had vandalized a wall with spray paint, writing, “ICE=KKK.”

Republican New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela told Newsweek that the party is working “closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), local law enforcement, and federal investigators” to find who is responsible and hold them “accountable.”

What People Are Saying

Republican New Mexico Chairwoman Amy Barela told Newsweek in a statement on Sunday: “We are deeply relieved that no one was harmed in what could have been a tragic and deadly attack. Those who resort to violence to undermine our state and nation must be held accountable, and our state leaders must reinforce through decisive action that these cowardly attacks will not be tolerated.”

“We are working closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), local law enforcement, and federal investigators. We are committed to providing every piece of evidence necessary to bring those responsible to justice and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We will not allow New Mexico’s broken criminal justice system to dilute the seriousness of this attack.”

She continued: “The Republican Party of New Mexico will not be silenced. We will emerge from this stronger, more united, and more determined to fight for the people of New Mexico and the future of our country,” she added. “Let us not forget: it was the Democrat Party that once supported the formation of the KKK, pushed Jim Crow laws, and defended slavery. Today, we see the same dangerous tendencies play out in new forms—attempts to suppress free speech, silence dissent, and use fear to control the political narrative. Our fight is not just for our party—it’s for every New Mexican who wants a safer, freer, and more accountable state. We will never back down.”

What Happens Next?

The Republican Party of New Mexico will work with AFR Fire Investigators and the ATF to determine the responsible parties.

Ishmael Kipkurui of New Mexico broke the NCAA record in the men’s 10,000m Saturday night at Sound Running’s The TEN.

The previous mark was set at the same meet last year by Northern Arizona’s Nico Young who ran 26:52.72.

Kipkurui’s New Mexico teammate Habtom Samuel also ran faster than Young’s mark, finishing second in 26.51.06.

Adrian Wildschutt was the top professional finisher, running 26:51.27 to claim third place overall. The mark was just off his personal best of 26:50.54 set at last year’s Paris Olympics.

Running the 10,000 meters on the track for the first time, Ethiopia’s Telahun Haile Bekele took fourth in 26:52.79. American Graham Blanks finished fifth in 26:57.30 in his first professional 10K.

All five athletes achieved the 2025 World Athletics entry standard of 27:00 for the event. The group of five ran as a lead pack for the bulk of the race until Blanks lost contact with one lap to go. Kipkurui, Samuel, and Wildschutt ran three-wide down the final home stretch, but Kipkurrui surged ahead with a blistering final sprint to break the tape. Kipkurui’s ran his final lap in 55.80 seconds.

“I’m so happy for winning this race today and qualifying for Tokyo,” Kipkurui said. 

The Kenyan signed with New Mexico in December of last year. He finished second to Samuel in the 3,000m and 5,000m at the 2025 Mountain West Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships and later placed 14th and seventh in the events, respectively, at the 2025 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships.

“It’s good to have him (Kipkurui) on the team,” Samuel said. “We work together and push each other.”

The 20-year-old freshman Kipkurui was the 2023 U20 XC World Champion, leading Kenya to a World team title by one point over Ethiopia. Later that year, he placed 10th in the 5000 meters at the World Championships in Budapest.

Tokyo Men’s 10,000 Meter Results

1. Ishmael KIPKURUI – 26:50.21  

2. Habtom SAMUEL – 26:51.06  

3. Adrian WILDSCHUTT – 26:51.27  

4. Telahun HAILE BEKELE – 26:52.79  

5. Graham BLANKS – 26:57.30  

6. Gulveer SINGH – 27:00.22  

7. Ahmed MUHUMED – 27:03.19  

8. Casey CLINGER – 27:11.00  

9. Denis KIPNGETICH – 27:20.10  

10. Sean McGORTY – 27:20.19  

11. Drew HUNTER – 27:24.49  

12. Efrem GIDEY – 27:26.95  

13. Amon KEMBOI – 27:31.41  

14. Kieran TUNTIVATE – 27:36.56  

15. Jonas RAESS – 27:36.96  

16. Brian BARRAZA – 27:37.54  

17. Valentin SOCA REYES – 27:37.65  

18. Aaron BIENENFELD – 27:39.82  

19. Anthony ROTICH – 27:53.64  

20. Rory LEONARD – 28:09.20  

21. Simon BEDARD – 28:20.99  

22. Noah SCHUTTE – 28:21.12  

DNF. Joey BERRIATUA – 1  

DNF. Kirubel ERASSA – 1  

DNF. Dillon MAGGARD – 1  

DNF. Scott BEATTIE – 1  

DNF. Josh THOMPSON – 1  

DNS. Romain LEGENDRE – 1  

DNS. Mohamed ISMAIL – 1

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