Red star stencil and ANTIFA tag spray paint graffiti | Image by 19srb81Shutterstock
Update: On February 17, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman declared a mistrial during jury selection after ruling that defense attorney MarQuetta Clayton’s T-shirt depicting civil rights leaders could improperly influence potential jurors; The Dallas Express will provide additional details as they become available.
Nine Antifa members are facing federal trial in Fort Worth for their alleged roles in ambushing an ICE facility in Alvarado.
Suspects are facing a jury trial at the Eldon B. Mahon U.S. Courthouse in Fort Worth beginning February 17, according to NBC DFW.
Suspects include Benjamin Hanil Song, Bradford Morris aka “Meagan Morris,” Cameron Arnold aka “Autumn Hill,” Daniel Rolando Sanchez-Estrada, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Soto, Maricela Rueda, Savanna Batten, and Zachary Evetts.
Defendants were indicted for their alleged roles in a July 4, 2025, ambush on the ICE Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado. As The Dallas Express reported, militants clad in body armor reportedly committed vandalism, launched fireworks at the walls, and shot a police officer in the neck.
This was the first federal charge against a group of Antifa cell members since President Donald Trump designated Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization in September 2025, as The Dallas Express reported.
In a July 7 press conference, then-acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson said the attack was an “ambush.” The Dallas Express attended the briefing.
“Make no mistake, this was not a so-called ‘peaceful protest,’” Larson said at the time. “It was a planned ambush with the intent to kill ICE corrections officers.”
“Leftist media and the defendants are arguing that they were just having a peaceful fireworks protest,” Andy Ngo posted on X. “Seven co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and admitted they worked together and organized behind an Antifa ideology.”
The Charges
The suspects were initially charged with the following, as The Dallas Express reported:
Riot – to commit an act of violence, shooting, and throwing fireworks and explosives, slashing tires on a government vehicle, spraying graffiti, destroying a surveillance camera, dressing in black bloc, and shooting at officers.
Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, Elizabeth, and Ines Soto.
Providing Material Support to Terrorists – including property, services, training, communications equipment, weapons, explosives, personnel (including themselves), and transportation.
Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, Elizabeth, and Ines Soto.
Conspiracy to Use and Carry an Explosive; Using and Carrying an Explosive – during a riot.
Arnold, Evetts, Song, Batten, Morris, Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto.
Attempted Murder of Officers and Employees of the United States – to attempt to kill with “malice” two corrections officers and an Alvarado police officer.
Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda.
Discharging a Firearm During, and in Relation to, and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence – the attempted murder of the corrections officers and the police officer.
Song, Arnold, Evetts, Morris, and Rueda.
Corruptly Concealing a Document or Record – for bringing a box with Antifa materials, like insurrection planning, anti-law enforcement, anti-government, and anti-immigration enforcement documents and propaganda, from Sanchez-Estrada’s home to Denton to impair its use in court.
Conspiracy to Conceal Documents – and other items that could implicate Rueda in the riot and shooting.
Rueda and Sánchez-Estrada.
The Attack
Suspects reportedly used an “encrypted messaging app” with auto-delete functions to permanently erase some communications, as The Dallas Express previously reported. They reportedly used monikers to hide their identities and used the chats for reconnaissance and planning.
Late on July 4, militants in black body armor allegedly surrounded the ICE facility in Alvarado, south of Fort Worth. Gunmen took their positions.
Defendants were dressed in “black bloc,” characterized by dark clothing and head-and-face coverings that concealed their identities.
After arriving at the facility, they reportedly began vandalizing vehicles and a guard house, and shooting and throwing fireworks.
👀NEW: Photos from the Antifa ambush on the Alvarado ICE facility this summer.
Fireworks over the fence, vandalized guardhouse, punctured tires, broken security camera.@DallasExpress @DallasXCEO @MrAndyNgo @DHSgov @ICEgov
Courtesy @TheJusticeDept pic.twitter.com/KP2vHEW1ym
— Logan Washburn (@loganwashburn76) November 15, 2025
Corrections officers called 911. An Alvarado police officer responded and reportedly began issuing commands to Baumann.
“Get to the rifles!” Song allegedly yelled.
The suspects reportedly opened fire on law enforcement, striking the Alvarado officer in the neck while unarmed corrections officers ran for cover. The wounded officer went to the hospital and ultimately recovered.
Soon after the attack, police arrested most members of the Antifa cell – many near the scene.
Song, however, escaped, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Weeks later, the FBI captured Song on July 15 in a North Dallas apartment. DX visited the complex and learned he was allegedly staying with his girlfriend.
Ahead of the ambush, the Antifa cell reportedly obtained more than 50 guns in the DFW area.
While law enforcement was searching for Song, they searched a residence where they found Antifa members, socialist propaganda, and more than 40 guns, as The Dallas Express exclusively reported. The suspect was a member of the Elm Fork John Brown Gun Club, a DFW Antifa cell.