Federal Jury Finds Anti-ICE Activists Guilty in July 4 Assault on Prairieland Detention Facility

(NationalFreedomPress.com) – Antifa-linked radicals who ambushed Texas ICE officers on July 4, 2025, now face convictions, vindicating President Trump’s crackdown on domestic terrorists attacking law enforcement.

Story Highlights

Nine defendants convicted in federal trial for planned ambush on Prairieland Detention Center, marking first major Antifa terrorism prosecution under Trump.
Group fired fireworks as explosives, shot Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross, who survived; guns tied to leader Benjamin “Champagne” Song.
Over 19 charged total, with 5+ guilty pleas to material support; trial in Fort Worth ends with potential life sentences.
Prosecutors prove premeditated attack amid Trump immigration enforcement, chilling violent anti-ICE activism.
FBI Director Kash Patel warns agency will hunt down attackers on law enforcement, bolstering officer safety.

The July 4 Ambush Unfolds

On July 4, 2025, about a dozen individuals launched a coordinated assault on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. They ignited fireworks classified as explosives, vandalized property, and fired at responding correctional officers. Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross answered a 911 call and suffered a gunshot wound to the neck or back but survived. Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson labeled it a planned ambush by a North Texas Antifa cell tied to anti-ICE activism. This incident highlights the dangers radicals pose to border security agents enforcing Trump’s immigration policies.

Key Players and Premeditation Evidence

Benjamin “Champagne” Song emerges as the alleged leader, with guns linked to him recovered at the scene. His prior 2020 arrest for aggravated assault during protests underscores a pattern of violence. Planners Maricela Rueda, Meagan Morris, Autumn Hill, and Zachary Evetts hosted gear checks and coordinated via Signal chats titled “4th of July Party!” Others like Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, Savanna Batten, and Daniel Sanchez Estrada participated in rioting and concealment. Most lacked violent priors, yet prosecutors proved intent to kill amid Trump’s deportation push. Personal ties, not formal structure, bound the group, but actions crossed into terrorism.

Trial Progress and Guilty Verdicts

Federal trial for nine defendants—Rueda, Song, Hill, Morris, Evetts, Batten, Sotos, Estrada, Arnold—began jury selection in February 2026 in Fort Worth. Prosecution and defense rested after three weeks, with FBI testimony revealing anti-ICE and Antifa materials from raids. Lt. Gross and plea-deal witnesses testified. Five admitted material support in November 2025; two women pled to evasion. As of March 2026, convictions delivered justice, setting precedent against labeling protests as terrorism while shielding officers from leftist violence. Defense claimed mere “noise demo,” but evidence refuted non-violent intent.

Over 19 total charged since July 7, 2025, when 10 entered custody. Sentencing looms in March 2026, with life terms possible. This outcome disrupts North Texas leftist networks furious over ICE detentions of illegal immigrants, reinforcing rule of law.

Implications for Law Enforcement and Borders

Convictions establish fireworks as explosives in terrorism cases, deterring future ambushes on ICE facilities vital to Trump’s mass deportations. Short-term, families face prison reckoning; long-term, it tests the administration’s Antifa prosecution drive, curbing violence that erodes border security and endangers officers. Political fallout polarizes views but strengthens the narrative of domestic terror from open-borders radicals. Economic costs include trial expenses and facility upgrades, yet bolster national integrity against globalist-fueled chaos. Patel’s warning signals unrelenting pursuit, protecting those upholding conservative values of secure borders and law order.