Alvarado, TX — The Intercept is suing the city of Alvarado and its police department, accusing officials of withholding public records connected to the violent 2025 confrontation outside the Prairieland immigration detention facility.
The dispute centers on police communications surrounding a July 4, 2025 protest that escalated into an armed confrontation in which an Alvarado police officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries. More than a dozen protesters were subsequently arrested, leading to a closely watched federal prosecution.
Freelance journalist C. Frances requested police emails from the period surrounding the incident under the Texas Public Information Act. After negotiations narrowed the request, Alvarado officials estimated that producing and redacting the records would cost $854.17.
According to The Intercept’s lawsuit, the outlet agreed to pay the full amount, but city officials have neither provided the records nor completed the payment process. Attorney Terry Mutchler, representing The Intercept, characterized the situation as extraordinary obstruction of public access.
The records could provide additional insight into police communications before and after the confrontation. Defendant Benjamin Song was ultimately sentenced to 100 years for attempted murder and other offenses, while he and other defendants are preparing appeals.
Alvarado officials had not responded publicly to The Intercept’s latest allegations.
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