Nine defendants get mixed verdict in federal ICE facility attack trial
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Jurors returned a mixed verdict Friday in the federal trial of nine people accused of carrying out a 2025 “ambush” on an ICE detention center in North Texas.
Nine defendants accused of being part of a North Texas “Antifa cell” were convicted by a federal jury in Fort Worth for their roles in the July 4, 2025 attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Jurors returned their verdict around 2:30 p.m. Friday at the federal courthouse in Fort Worth, after about a day and a half of deliberations, FOX 4 News reported.
“The guilty verdicts in today’s case demonstrate the FBI’s 24/7 commitment to identifying, locating and dismantling ANTIFA members and their networks,” Kash Patel told Fox News Digital. “I want to thank our Dallas field office and great partners for delivering justice. If you attack federal law enforcement, the FBI will use every resource at its disposal to hunt you down.”
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Law enforcement officers gather outside the Prairieland Detention Center following an ambush in Alvarado, Texas, July 4, 2025. (Mark David Smith/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
During the 12-day trial, which began February 23, 2026, jurors heard testimony from more than 45 witnesses and reviewed more than 210 exhibits related to the charges against the nine defendants, the DOJ said.
Benjamin Song was convicted of the most serious charge — attempted murder — for shooting Alvarado police Lt. Thomas Gross, according to FOX 4.
All but one of the defendants, Daniel Estrada, were convicted of providing material support to terrorists, rioting, conspiracy to use and transport explosives and using explosives during a riot, FOX 4 reported.
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Benjamin Song was convicted of the most serious charge – attempted murder – for shooting Alvarado police Lt. Thomas Gross. (FBI)
Daniel Estrada, who was not present the night of the incident, was convicted of concealment of records and conspiracy to conceal documents, according to FOX 4.
Maricela Rueda was also convicted of conspiracy to conceal documents.
“Antifa is a domestic terrorist organization that was able to thrive in Democratic-led cities, not under President Trump,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “Today’s verdict on terrorism charges will not be the last, as the Trump administration systematically dismantles Antifa and finally puts an end to their violence on America’s streets.”
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FBI Director Kash Patel speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, December 4, 2025. (Daniel Heuer/AFP via Getty Images)
Authorities say the July 4, 2025, attack outside the Prairieland ICE detention center in Alvarado involved fireworks, damage to buildings and vehicles, and gunfire directed at officers.
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Prosecutors argued the attack was orchestrated by Song and carried out by members of a North Texas Antifa cell, FOX 4 reported.
Defense attorneys argued there was no ambush and the defendants did not intend to commit violence.
“The violent and calculated attack on ICE’s Prairie facility was a heinous way for Antifa terrorists to ‘protest’ the way this agency enforces the law – but these verdicts make clear that those who choose violence over legal expression will face the full force of the American justice system,” ICE Director Todd Lyons said in a statement.
