Guilty Verdicts in ICE Detention Center Attack
A federal jury in Texas has found all nine individuals guilty in connection with the July 2025 assault on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center located near Alvarado. The verdict was announced on Friday against Benjamin Hanil Song, who is said to be the main organizer associated with Antifa, along with eight others who are now facing sentencing for their involvement.
The jury’s decision was made in a federal court in Fort Worth, where they found Song, the purported leader of the Antifa faction, guilty of attempted murder related to the shooting death of Officer Alvarado. Local law enforcement had been called for backup following an ambush that resulted in an officer being shot while responding to the scene. Fortunately, the officer survived but sustained serious neck injuries after exiting his patrol unit, as reported by Breitbart Texas. Allegations state that 20 to 30 shots were fired at officers during the incident.
A press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas indicated that the eight other defendants were also convicted of charges related to rioting and terrorism. Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada additionally faced charges for concealing and destroying evidence. The jury is still reviewing further charges against the group.
Alongside Song, those sentenced on Friday include Savannah Batten, Cameron Arnold, Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada, Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, Maricela Rueda, Bradford Morris, and Zachary Evets.
The trial, which started on February 23 at the historic Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse, aimed to address the attempted murder of a federal officer as well as charges regarding the use of firearms in relation to violent crimes and support for terrorism.
Over the 12-day trial, jurors heard from more than 45 witnesses and reviewed over 210 pieces of evidence that bolstered the prosecution’s case against the nine defendants. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, it was successfully demonstrated that the defendants belonged to the North Texas Antifa Cell, part of a broader militant movement aimed at undermining the U.S. government.
Experts testifying for the prosecution explained to the jury that Antifa’s coordinated activities involve using violence to subvert federal law, which encompasses riots and armed standoffs with police, specifically targeting DHS/ICE personnel and facilities resisting deportation efforts.
Trial evidence indicated that many of the Antifa factions involved in the Prairieland incident viewed Benjamin Hanil Song as their unofficial leader, who had secured and distributed the firearm used in the attack.
In response to the ruling, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi remarked, “Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that has been permitted to flourish in cities run by Democrats, not under President Trump. Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last as the Trump administration works to dismantle Antifa and ultimately curb violence on the streets of America.”
