FORT WORTH, TEXAS — A federal jury has convicted eight defendants in what prosecutors described as the first U.S. terrorism trial tied to an Antifa-inspired attack on an immigration detention center in Texas.
The verdict followed a trial in Fort Worth concerning the July 4, 2025 attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Facility near Alvarado. Prosecutors argued the defendants carried out a planned assault that involved fireworks, vandalism, and gunfire directed at responding police officers. Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross was shot during the confrontation but survived.
Jurors found eight of the nine defendants guilty on charges that included rioting and providing material support to terrorists. One defendant, Benjamin Hanil Song, was also convicted of attempted murder and firearms offenses after prosecutors said he fired at officers during the incident.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including radical publications, anti-government online posts, and videos they said showed planning for the attack. Defense attorneys argued the defendants were not members of Antifa and claimed the demonstration began as a protest intended to create noise outside the detention facility.
The case is considered the first federal prosecution using terrorism charges tied to alleged Antifa-inspired activity following an executive order signed in 2025 designating the movement as a domestic terrorist organization.
Those convicted now face potential prison sentences of up to 15 years. Civil liberties advocates have warned that the case could influence how federal authorities pursue charges connected to political protests in the future.
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