Verdicts delivered in federal court conclude a high-profile case tied to a July 2025 attack at an immigration detention center in Alvarado, Texas.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal jury has convicted nine defendants in connection with a violent incident outside a Texas immigration detention facility, concluding a case prosecutors described as the first U.S. terrorism prosecution involving alleged supporters of Antifa.
According to reporting by the Fort Worth Report and The Guardian, jurors returned their verdicts Friday after examining evidence tied to a July 2025 confrontation at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado.
Benjamin Song, whom federal prosecutors identified as the leader of the group involved in the protest, was found guilty of attempted murder for shooting an Alvarado police officer during the incident. Seven additional defendants were convicted of various crimes including providing material support for terrorism, participating in rioting and other related offenses, though jurors acquitted them on some charges. An additional defendant who prosecutors said was not present at the protest itself was convicted of concealing evidence.
Authorities told the court that individuals arrived at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility dressed in black clothing and staged a protest that escalated into violence. Prosecutors said the group vandalized property and launched fireworks toward the detention center during the demonstration.
When Alvarado police Lt. Thomas Gross approached the group to communicate with them, prosecutors said the situation escalated. Song allegedly fired a weapon that struck Gross in the neck area. Gross later described the events during testimony presented to jurors, according to reporting from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Court filings presented to the jury included more than 200 pieces of evidence. Those materials included firearms recovered during the investigation, surveillance footage documenting activity around the facility and communications among participants promoting what they described as an “Alvarado City Fireworks” event.
Prosecutors also presented messaging conversations among defendants discussing the protest ahead of the demonstration. One statement introduced during the trial read, “I’m done with peaceful protests.” The same message continued with the phrase, “Blue lives don’t matter.”
Defense attorneys argued throughout the proceedings that Antifa represents a political ideology rather than a structured organization. They maintained the defendants had not intended for the protest to become violent. Lawyers also referenced a defense argument presented during proceedings that Antifa functions as merely an ideology rather than a coordinated group and pointed to courtroom arguments presented in a recorded proceeding available on YouTube.
Defense counsel initially indicated plans to call several witnesses, including academics and political analysts, but ultimately concluded their case without presenting additional testimony after prosecutors rested.
During the trial, prosecutors presented testimony from 51 witnesses. Those witnesses included law enforcement officers involved in the investigation, individuals who had previously pleaded guilty to related charges and terrorism analyst Kyle Shideler of the Center for Security Policy.
In documents filed in court, the Department of Justice described Antifa as “a militant enterprise made up of networks of individuals and small groups primarily ascribing to a revolutionary anarchist or autonomous Marxist ideology, which explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and the system of law.”
Defense attorney Cody Cofer said the legal fight would continue following the verdicts.
“As we move into the sentencing phase of the case, it is fortunate that the judge was able to see a more complete picture than what the Government has painted in the indictment and press releases,” Cofer told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “We still have First Amendment and sufficiency of the evidence issues to address on appeal. We look forward to continuing this fight.”
Cofer also stated, “We are thankful that the jury could see through the Government’s fear-mongering Antifa ‘ambush’ narrative.”
The federal proceedings are not the only legal cases stemming from the incident. According to court records, Song and other defendants are also facing state charges filed in Johnson County tied to the same attack. Investigators say additional individuals were charged with concealing evidence and assisting in efforts to hide Song after the shooting.
Authorities said Song fled following the July 4 incident and remained at large for 11 days before law enforcement located him in Dallas. A SWAT team ultimately arrested him at an apartment in the city. Prior to the start of the federal trial, four individuals pleaded guilty to helping Song evade authorities during that period, while three additional people admitted to supporting illegal activity linked to the group.
The trial itself encountered delays before testimony began. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman declared a mistrial in February during jury selection after a defense attorney wore a shirt displaying civil rights figures in the courtroom, forcing the case to restart.
Outside the courthouse, supporters of the defendants organized demonstrations during the proceedings. A social media message from a group advocating for the defendants called on supporters to challenge the prosecution.
“Don’t let political repression win!” read a post published Wednesday on Bluesky by the DFW Support Committee, a group formed to support the nine defendants. “It is right to rebel against ICE!”
Original article
Comments