Judge Denies Evidence Suppression in Texas Terrorism Case
A federal judge, appointed by President Trump, denied a motion on Tuesday that sought to suppress a significant amount of evidence in a forthcoming terrorism trial in Texas. This ruling is a win for the prosecution.
In court documents, defendants Cameron Arnold, Elizabeth Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada aimed to exclude statements from their co-defendants and all evidence obtained through specific law enforcement raids. These raids were part of the investigation into a mass shooting that occurred in July 2025 at an immigration facility in Alvarado, Texas. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman rejected all three motions, allowing the Department of Justice to present extensive evidence about the organization linked to the attack, portraying it as a self-proclaimed Antifa terrorist group.
Attorneys representing Arnold, Soto, and Sanchez-Estrada haven’t responded to requests for comments. They are among nine defendants facing various charges, including rioting, terrorism, attempted murder, and evidence tampering, with a joint trial scheduled soon. According to the indictment, Arnold and Soto are accused of aiding in planning the riot, while Sánchez-Estrada faces charges for destroying evidence.
The indictment suggests that the group, alongside ringleader Benjamin Song, intended to attack an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building. They allegedly vandalized the facility, set off fireworks to draw attention, and engaged in a shootout with local police before hiding as fugitives for several days, according to the Justice Department.
Soto’s legal team filed a broad argument claiming that the search of her home was unwarranted, despite prior judicial approval. Her attorney mentioned various items that law enforcement sought, including firearms, laptops, and documentation, while also calling for the exclusion of certain testimonies and evidence.
This trial marks a significant moment, as it will be the first in the U.S. to explicitly categorize Antifa as a terrorist organization. An indictment released in October characterized Antifa as “an extremist enterprise” linked to a revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideology that calls for the overthrow of the U.S. government and legal system. This language echoes a September executive order from the White House addressing the issue.
Beyond the nine on trial, seven other defendants have pleaded guilty, admitting their affiliation with the Antifa organization and involvement in the anti-ICE ambush, with additional charges filed by Texas authorities.
