Nine Found Guilty in Texas ICE Facility Attack, Eight Face Terror Charges

A federal jury has convicted nine individuals for their participation in a July 4th shooting incident at an immigration detention facility in Alvarado, Texas. Eight defendants face terrorism-related charges including providing material support to terrorists and using explosives during the attack on the ICE facility.

A federal jury in Texas has delivered guilty verdicts against nine individuals connected to an armed assault on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility last summer, according to the Justice Department.

Eight of those convicted face terrorism-related charges, including providing material support to terrorists, participating in a riot, conspiracy to use and transport explosives, and deploying explosive devices during civil unrest, according to local news reports.

The verdicts came after a 12-day federal trial examining the defendants’ roles in the July 4th incident in Alvarado, Texas, where a police officer was shot but survived.

Federal authorities said the group wore dark “military-style” uniforms with masks and head coverings during their assault on the immigration facility. The Trump administration has identified the defendants as participants in the antifa movement, which President Donald Trump classified as a domestic terrorist organization last year.

This marks the first instance where federal prosecutors have brought terrorism charges against individuals linked to antifa, a loosely organized far-left movement whose supporters typically oppose what they consider authoritarian or racist policies.

Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated after the convictions that similar prosecutions will continue under the Trump administration.

ICE Director Todd M. Lyons praised the jury’s decision, characterizing the summer incident as a violent act and “an abhorrent way for antifa terrorists to ‘protest.'”

Those found guilty include Cameron Arnold, Zachary Evetts, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada.

Most defense attorneys did not respond to requests for comment following the verdicts.

Cody Cofer, representing lead defendant Arnold, criticized the prosecution’s approach, stating: “We are thankful that the jury could see through the Government’s fear mongering antifa ‘ambush’ narrative.”

“We are afraid that our client’s guilty verdicts for Riot and related charges resulted from a compromise during deliberations or failure to consider our client’s individual conduct,” Cofer added.

The defense attorney announced plans to file an appeal in the case.