Antifa Leader Sentenced for Terrorist Attack
Benjamin Song, the leader of an Antifa cell, received a 100-year prison sentence on Tuesday following a terrorist incident targeting an immigration detention center in 2025. The Department of Justice announced Song’s sentencing, alongside seven other participants in the attack on July 4, 2025, at a Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility.
This case marks the first instance in the U.S. where an Antifa member has been charged under terrorism laws since a significant political event. In September 2025, certain far-left organizations were designated as domestic terrorist groups.
A jury found the group guilty after a trial lasting 12 days in March, with Song specifically convicted of attempted murder. The other members received prison sentences ranging from 30 to 70 years.
Details of the attack indicate it took place in the early hours of July 4. Song, formerly a Marine reservist, and his team arrived dressed in black attire. Earlier that day, some of them had participated in a peaceful protest against ICE, but later returned armed with equipment.
According to a press release, the group came prepared with 11 firearms and bulletproof vests. They set off fireworks, leading to damage at the facility, including cars and a security hut.
During the chaos, police heard Song instructing his team to retrieve their rifles. He then fired upon an unarmed corrections officer, hitting them in the neck.
Overall, nine defendants in this case face a cumulative total of 65 charges, which include attempted murder and terrorism-related offenses. One defendant, Ines Soto, is awaiting sentencing in early July.
Song, previously listed among Texas’ “Most Wanted Fugitives,” managed to elude capture for 11 days after the incident, only to be found later at a supporter’s residence in Dallas.
The defense team contended that there was no intention of violence that night, framing Antifa as not a formal organization but rather a movement. In response to the convictions, leftist groups have mobilized to support those convicted in the attack.
