Feds Expand Terrorism Charges in July Texas ICE Detention Shooting

(ALVARADO, TEXAS) Federal prosecutors have sharply expanded terrorism charges over the attack on the Prairieland ICE detention center in Alvarado, Texas, with a grand jury indicting nine alleged members of a North Texas antifa cell on November 13, 2025, in connection with the July 4, 2025 shooting of a local police officer outside the immigration facility.

The new indictment marks one of the most aggressive federal responses yet to violence linked to far‑left networks. Officials say it reflects careful planning, military‑style training, and intent to draw officers into an ambush using fireworks, vandalism, and rifles.

What prosecutors say happened on July 4, 2025

According to Justice Department‑summarized court records, the coordinated assault on the evening of July 4, 2025 began when about a dozen people dressed in black clothing and body armor gathered near the Prairieland ICE detention center. They reportedly set off fireworks and damaged property, apparently to lure officers into the open.

Alvarado Police Lieutenant Thomas Gross was among the first responders. As he arrived, several people began to run. When Gross shouted commands for them to stop, a voice could be heard saying, “get to the rifles,” according to revised court documents.

A person wearing a green mask and hiding in nearby woods then opened fire, striking Gross in the neck. Gross returned fire, discharging three rounds. Investigators later concluded that about 11 shots were exchanged in total during the brief gun battle outside the facility, which holds immigrants for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Get to the rifles.” — Phrase prosecutors say was captured on revised court documents as officers arrived

Defendants, charges, and key dates

• A federal grand jury in North Texas indicted nine alleged operatives of what investigators call an antifa cell. Charges range from rioting to attempted murder.
• Prosecutors say the indictment reflects the first federal terrorism counts ever brought against people described as antifa members in the United States.
• Key defendants and trial dates:
  • Autumn Hill (also known as Cameron Arnold) — charged with providing material support to terrorists, attempted murder, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Trial set for November 24, 2025.
  • Zachary Evetts — charged alongside Hill with similar federal terrorism counts. Trial set for November 24, 2025.
  • Daniel Sanchez Estrada — faces federal counts for concealing documents and conspiracy to conceal records; trial set for December 1, 2025.
  • Benjamin Song, 32, a former military reservist, is identified by investigators as one of the shooters and is already in custody.

All defendants have pleaded not guilty in both federal and state cases.

Arrests, weapons, and evidence

• Benjamin Song was arrested on July 15 after a weeklong manhunt and was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list.
  • Authorities say Song bought four of the guns tied to the case, including an AR‑15‑style rifle with a modified trigger that allowed more rapid fire.
• When a van was stopped after the shooting, the driver admitted transporting people to the facility to, in his words, “make some noise.”
  • Inside the vehicle, authorities say they found:
  • Two AR‑15‑style rifles
  • Two ballistic vests
  • One handgun
  • One ballistic helmet
• Prosecutors also report recovering:
  • Group chats that mapped out the July 4 gathering in detail
  • Blueprints and plans
  • Tactical gear
  • Covert communications and training materials

These items are cited in filings as demonstrating training in gun use and close‑quarters combat, with alleged ringleaders coaching other members.

State charges and broader tally

• On the state side, officials say 15 defendants have been indicted so far on charges including:
  • Aggravated assault of a public servant with a deadly weapon
  • Terrorism
  • Engaging in organized criminal activity by smuggling persons
  • Hindering the prosecution of terrorism
• As of October 22, 2025, authorities reported 18 people had been arrested in connection with the attack.
  • Among them is Janette Goering, who faces a state charge of aiding in the commission of the shooting.

How investigators say they built the case

Court filings describe investigators piecing the case together from multiple sources of evidence:

• Digital communications: group chats allegedly showing planning and logistical coordination for July 4, 2025.
• Weapons traces: firearms seized from suspects and the scene were matched to purchases traced back to people now under indictment.
• Physical evidence: tactical gear, ballistic vests, helmets, and other items recovered around Alvarado.
• Surveillance and vehicle stops: the van leaving the scene and statements from its driver contributed to the case narrative.

Why federal authorities treated this as terrorism

Analysis and prosecutors’ statements emphasize several factors:

• The target: an immigration detention facility that holds people in government custody for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the Prairieland facility is one of several used by ICE in Texas (see https://www.ice.gov).
• The alleged planning and training: tactical gear, documented training, and coordinated communications suggest planning beyond a spontaneous altercation.
• Use of high‑powered weapons and the goal of drawing officers into an ambush.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, cases that mix immigration detention facilities and organized violence tend to draw especially strong federal responses, as authorities see them as threats to law enforcement and to government control over enforcement sites.

Impact on detainees, security, and upcoming trials

• For immigrants held at Prairieland during the attack, the violence occurred on the facility’s doorstep. Court filings do not detail injuries to detainees, but the shooting outside a detention center has highlighted how political conflicts can spill into such sites.
• The incident raises questions about security at immigration facilities in smaller communities, including staffing, equipment, and coordination among local police, federal officers, and private contractors.
• As trials approach in late 2025, family members of the shot officer and of the accused will confront witness testimony, video evidence, and forensic analyses of firearms and digital records.

The coming juries will be asked not only who pulled triggers, but how to weigh claims of terrorism, organized crime, and conspiracy tied to the events outside Prairieland on July 4, 2025.

For now, attention shifts back to the courtroom, where jurors will revisit late‑night planning chats, recovered rifles, and the seconds before shots rang out outside Prairieland on that summer holiday. Each hearing will revisit the events that turned a Texas immigration lockup into a crime scene for many.