A federal judge in Fort Worth handed prosecutors a major win Tuesday, clearing the way for a mountain of evidence to be used in what is being described as the nation’s first trial to explicitly treat Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, an appointee of President Donald Trump, denied a series of motions from defense attorneys who sought to bury key evidence before the trial begins. The ruling ensures that jurors will see a wide array of materials—ranging from firearms and explosives to encrypted digital communications—allegedly linked to a July 2025 attack on an immigration facility in Alvarado, Texas.
The case centers on nine defendants accused of operating as a “terror cell.” According to court records, the group allegedly coordinated a strike on the Prairieland Detention Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building.
READ: Florida Lawmakers Roll Out TEMP Act To Shield Farmers From Costly Deep Freezes
Prosecutors say the group, led by Benjamin Song, used fireworks and vandalism to lure police officers into the open before Song allegedly fired shots at a local officer.
Among those facing the bench are Cameron Arnold and Elizabeth Soto, who are accused of helping orchestrate the riot, and Daniel Rolando Sanchez Estrada, who faces charges for allegedly tampering with evidence during the subsequent manhunt for Song.
Defense teams had fought hard to keep specific evidence out of the courtroom. Arnold’s lawyers specifically tried to block statements made by a codefendant, Bradford “Meagan” Morris, arguing that using those comments would violate constitutional rights since Morris might not testify.
Meanwhile, Soto’s legal team filed a sweeping motion to suppress everything seized from her home, claiming that law enforcement lacked probable cause for the search despite having a signed warrant.
READ: Trump Admin Cranks Out More Rules To Keep ‘Unqualified’ Migrant Truckers Off Highways
Judge Pittman rejected those arguments, allowing the DOJ to present a massive haul of seized items, including:
- Firearms and ammunition
- Laptops, tablets, and cell phones
- Radios and signal-blocking “faraday bags”
- Printing devices and anarchist pamphlets
The trial is set to be a legal landmark. Following a September White House executive order and a subsequent October indictment, the DOJ is officially characterizing the group as part of a “militant enterprise” with a revolutionary anarchist ideology aimed at overthrowing U.S. law enforcement.
The Department of Justice alleges the group didn’t just attack the facility but also coordinated a multi-day effort to hide Song while he was a fugitive. Attorneys for the defendants have not yet commented on the judge’s decision to allow the evidence. With the legal hurdles cleared, the trial is scheduled to begin this coming Tuesday in the Northern District of Texas.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
