Antifa members indicted in Texas ICE facility attack
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Nine members of an Antifa group were indicted Friday and seven others were charged in connection with the attempted murder of a Texas police officer during an attack on an immigration detention facility in July, the Justice Department said.
North Texas Antifa Cell members Cameron Arnold, Zachary Akşam, Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada, who are suspected in 12 incidents, have been charged with multiple felonies for their roles in the July 4 attack on the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.
Additionally, Nathan Baumann, Joy Gibson, Susan Kent, Rebecca Morgan, Lynette Sharp and John Thomas are also charged with providing material support to terrorists. The sixteenth defendant, Seth Sikes, was indicted in late October on charges of providing material support to terrorists.
THE SUSPECT IN THE ANTI-ICE CONFLICTS IN TEXAS WAS GIVEN A GREEN CARD UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
Several Antifa members allegedly set off fireworks at a Texas detention facility during the July 4 attack, authorities said. (Ministry of Justice)
“Anyone who targets law enforcement or uses violence to advance an anarchist agenda will face the full weight of the federal government,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital. “These are domestic terrorists, and under President Trump’s leadership, we are finding them and bringing them to justice.”
The nine members charged are charged with rioting with the intent to commit an act of violence, providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to use and transport explosives, attempted murder of officers, use of a firearm during and in connection with a crime of violence and in furtherance of that crime, corruptly concealing a document or record, and conspiracy to conceal documents.
“This is the first indictment filed in the country against a group of violent Antifa cell members,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.
The defendants were members of the North Texas Antifa Cell, which is part of a larger militant organization consisting of individuals and small groups calling for the overthrow of the U.S. government and law enforcement.
MORE DETAILS EMERGED ABOUT SUSPECTS IN INDEPENDENCE DAY ICE ATTACK IN Texas
Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas, is the site where a police officer was shot in the neck and several ICE officers were shot on July 4, 2025. (KDFW)
“Antifa is a terrorist organization, and today’s criminal charges for violent attacks on law enforcement are a turning point in the Department of Justice’s approach to Antifa cases,” U.S. Attorney Pam Bondi told Fox News Digital. “At President Trump’s direction, we are prosecuting Antifa in the same way we prosecuted groups such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13. As we dismantle Antifa, we expect similar cases to come.”
Federal prosecutors said 11 of the suspects rioted and attacked the detention center where illegal immigrants awaiting deportation were housed.
Authorities said these people were wearing “black blocks”, dark clothing that covers their heads and faces to hide their identities. When they arrived at the facility, they began shooting at the building and throwing fireworks, damaging vehicles and the security booth on federal property.
An Alvarado police officer responded to the chaos after corrections officers called 911. When the officer gave Baumann the order, Song allegedly yelled, “get to the rifles!” and then unarmed corrections officers opened fire on the officer, who was shot in the neck as he ducked and ran for cover.
Prosecutors said Song, who many in the Antifa cell viewed as a leader, fled the scene but was captured by law enforcement on July 15.
Federal prosecutors say the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, was attacked by Antifa members in July. (Department of Justice; KDFW)
Before the attack, the Antifa cell allegedly seized more than 50 firearms in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, prosecutors said.
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They used an encrypted messaging app with auto-delete functions to coordinate with each other to hide their plans, and permanently deleted the communications of some Antifa Cell members. They also used pseudonyms in group chats to hide their identities, and some of the planning chats included only trusted participants.
Antifa members allegedly conducted reconnaissance and discussed what to bring to the riot, including firearms, medical kits and fireworks.
The nine defendants indicted are scheduled to go on trial in federal court on December 3.
