Texas anti-ICE protesters convicted of terrorism charges sentenced to at least 50 years in prison

[groundloop]

Source: The Guardian

A group of Texas protesters convicted of terrorism charges received harsh sentences of at least 50 years in prison Tuesday in a closely watched case that was widely seen as a test case of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on dissent.

After a three week jury trial, the nine activists were all found guilty of a slew of criminal charges in March, stemming from a Fourth of July protest at an immigrant detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, south of Fort Worth. The demonstrators arrived late at night with a plan to set off fireworks as part of a noise demonstration to show solidarity with those detained inside. A few of the protesters spontaneously broke off from the main group and vandalized cars in the parking lot, a guard shack, slashed the tires on a government van and broke a security camera. When a police officer arrived on the scene and drew his weapon, one of the activists fired an AR-15 from the woods, hitting the officer in the shoulder. The officer survived.

Zachary Evetts, Autumn Hill, Savanna Batten, and Elizabeth Soto were sentenced to 50 years in prison. Maricela Rueda, another demonstrator, was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Benjamin Song, who fired the gun at the police officer, was sentenced to 100 years in prison. The other protesters were continuing to be sentenced Tuesday morning.

Even though many of the protesters did not know each other, or were loosely affiliated, prosecutors said the attack on the officer was premeditated and part of a conspiracy. They also said the activists were part of a “North Texas antifa cell”, which was seen as part of the administration’s effort to criminalize “antifa”, which is not an organization but rather a constellation of leftwing views.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/23/prairieland-ice-protesters-texas-sentenced

[czarjak]

1. Unacceptable!

Let. Freedom. Ring, Rubes?

[Trueblue Texan]

2. Alvarado is in Johnson County, TX

Truly one of the most extreme right-wing, Bible thumping communities in Texas.

[dave99]

13. there are NO actual bibles there, just books with black bindings.

[cbabe]

3. I would've asked the prosecutor to prove the existence of antifa.

[chowder66]

5. Here's what these assholes said about that....

Prosecutors closed out their case with testimony from their expert witness on antifa: Kyle Shideler, director and senior analyst of homeland security and counterterrorism at the Center for Security Policy.

The terrorism think tank, known for putting out content that targets Muslims and Islam, has been called a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Shideler disputed that designation when questioned by the defense.

Shideler said he began studying antifa more heavily in 2020. He authored a memo on how President Donald Trump’s administration can crack down on far-left extremists and later testified in Congress on the topic after Trump issued an executive order designating antifa as a domestic terror threat.

“Antifa,” Shideler testified, is short for “Antifaschistische Aktion,” or “anti-fascist action” in German. It was the name of a far-left organization in World War II Germany that Shideler said opposed not only the Nazi party, but center-right and center-left individuals and movements.

more at link...
https://www.keranews.org/criminal-justice/2026-03-10/prairieland-detention-center-ice-antifa-terrorism-shooting-trial-government-defendants

[dave99]

14. bet Kyle Shideler likes 'em young

[cbabe]

26. Legal jibber jabber is not proof.

[chowder66]

4. These sentences are waaaaaay over the top!

And the "Antifa" shit is pure bullshit.

[Bayard]

6. Especially since no one was killed.

The guy who shot the cop was extremely foolish. I can see him being charged with assault, maybe even attempted murder, but that still should not mean a life sentence. The others just committed vandalism. That's definitely not in life sentence territory.

Just my .02. I'm not a lawyer, but I do have some sense.

[slightlv]

7. I agree, Bayard

and I can't help but believe these "sentences" will be reviewed once we take back Congress... and hopefully the Presidency. BUT more worrisome to me, are the ones who broke off from the group to do the vandalism and came armed with an AR15. Who were they? The government wants us to believe they were left-wing terrorists, when we know there is no such thing. Were these Magas who had "infiltrated" the group to do exactly what they did, knowing how trump would react? Were any of THEM arrested, or was it just the noise making protestors?

[NickB79]

12. I'm fine with 100 yr for shooting someone with an AR

That's absolutely attempted murder.

[AverageOldGuy]

8. Is this headline from . . .

Germany, 1935?

[wolfie001]

9. Shitty state with a shitty racist and homophobic government

One of the shittiest in the country.

[LtTx]

32. I believe this was the work of our shitty federal government nt

[wolfie001]

35. Aided and abetted by the orange p3do bastard no doubt

But the seeds of hate were planted pre-2000. Things have only gotten worse. I hope Talarico can pull it off. Would be the greatest upset in US politics. Ever. I'm hopeful. 🙏

[pat_k]

10. Shooting by one as "conspiracy" by others who have no connection?

If some of these convictions aren't overturned on appeal we have entered an even darker period -- if that is even possible.

[cab67]

11. were these state or federal charges?

[dave99]

16. State

[cab67]

21. Then there's little chance these people will get out.

[dave99]

24. Yup....need Abbot to fall down

[LeftInTX]

28. Federal.

FORT WORTH — Federal judges in Texas on Tuesday gave eight members of an alleged “antifa cell” prison sentences as long as 100 years for their roles last summer in a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility that included vandalism and the shooting of a police officer.

The sentencings took place simultaneously in two courtrooms belonging to U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump appointee who oversaw the 12-day trial, and Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, who was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush. (Butler said it was “unusual” for a judge who did not preside over the trial to sentence half the defendants.)

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith argued at trial that the defendants, led by Song, plotted the attack as part of the protest outside the detention center, which also included anti-ICE vandalism

https://wapo.st/4fX4q8x

[dave99]

30. my apologies for mistake

[Seeking Serenity]

31. Cool. Pardoned on Jan. 20, 2029.

They need to be released pending their appeal.

[MichMan]

34. You think someone shooting an officer with an AK-47 should be pardoned after 2 years?

[LtTx]

33. Nope. Federal

[dalton99a]

22. It is a federal case.

[GJGCA]

23. Federal

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/8-convicted-of-terrorism-charges-in-texas-immigration-center-shooting-sentenced-to-decades-in-prison

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A demonstrator who shot and wounded a police officer outside a Texas immigration center last July 4 was sentenced to 100 years in federal prison Tuesday,

[LeftInTX]

29. They were federal charges.

FORT WORTH — Federal judges in Texas on Tuesday gave eight members of an alleged “antifa cell” prison sentences as long as 100 years for their roles last summer in a protest outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility that included vandalism and the shooting of a police officer.

The sentencings took place simultaneously in two courtrooms belonging to U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, a Trump appointee who oversaw the 12-day trial, and Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, who was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush. (Butler said it was “unusual” for a judge who did not preside over the trial to sentence half the defendants.)

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith argued at trial that the defendants, led by Song, plotted the attack as part of the protest outside the detention center, which also included anti-ICE vandalism

https://wapo.st/4fX4q8x

Everyone keeps saying it was state, but this was a federal court with federal judges. Just because they were tried in Texas doesn't mean they were state charges. We have federal courts here.

[relogic]

15. You can be sure

that the most egregious assault motivated by justified causes against our current police state to the mildest protest at a prayer meeting-
Rest assured. The laws to squelch any dissent have evolved particularly since 9/11. Fear triumphs over rational thought every time.

The regime has no reluctance to wield their new-found laws, brutality and subjugation with less vigor. If TSF is displeased with your well-advised opinion that he is subhuman, it is now a defined terrorist crime against the state of America. His stooges planted in the FBI are there explicitly to arrest, charge, convict and disappear you as allowed now.

[fujiyamasan]

17. Sounds like a sentence out of Putin's Russia

[Ollie Garkie]

18. "They hate us for our free-dumb"-nt

[niyad]

19. And for those of us old enough to remember the anti-war/civil rights/

women's rights protests, I can tell you the first thought that came to my mind.

[ashredux]

20. Sentences of 50 years for this type of "crime" is ridiculous

I don’t see how that was justice at an all. It was some form of perverse retribution to scare anyone protesting.

[bluestarone]

25. What a total bunch of BULLSHIT!

I'm actually surprised they weren't thrown out a HIGH WINDOW, like the do in Russia. Jesus Christ!

[walkingman]

27. Wow, hard to believe. As someone that participated in Vietnam protests

it is amazing amd sad how our first amendment rights have diminished these days.

[The Grand Illuminist]

36. Unfortunately....

If it wasn't for the AR15 and revolver, all would have gotten light sentences. Playing devil's advocate.