ALVARADO, Texas — The man prosecutors identified as the leader of a group convicted in a violent attack on a Texas immigration detention facility has been sentenced to 100 years in federal prison, while several of his co-defendants received decades-long sentences for their roles in the incident.
Benjamin Song received the century-long sentence Tuesday after being convicted of attempted murder and multiple terrorism-related charges stemming from the July 4, 2025 attack outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.
Federal prosecutors said the group carried out a coordinated assault on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility, arriving dressed in dark clothing and allegedly equipped with firearms, body armor, fireworks, and medical supplies.
Authorities said the incident escalated when an Alvarado police officer responded to reports of vandalism and was shot and wounded during the confrontation.
According to court testimony, demonstrators initially gathered outside the detention center in what some participants described as a protest supporting immigrants held at the facility.
Prosecutors argued the gathering quickly turned violent, with property damage, fireworks being launched, and armed individuals positioned nearby.
Song was found guilty of shooting the responding officer, who survived his injuries.
Prosecutors described him as a central figure in planning and organizing the operation, alleging he supplied firearms and helped coordinate members of what they called a North Texas antifa cell.
Eight other defendants were also convicted on terrorism-related charges earlier this year. Sentences handed down by the court ranged from 30 to 70 years in prison, depending on each defendant’s level of involvement.
One defendant received a 30-year sentence after being convicted on charges related to concealing evidence connected to the case.
During sentencing, federal officials argued that the attack represented a deliberate assault on law enforcement officers and a federal detention facility.
The Justice Department has repeatedly pointed to the case as one of the most significant domestic terrorism prosecutions involving individuals accused of ties to the antifa movement.
Defense attorneys disputed that characterization throughout the trial, arguing that many of the defendants were activists protesting immigration policies rather than members of an organized terrorist group.
Several defense lawyers also criticized the lengthy prison terms and indicated appeals are expected.
The case attracted national attention because it marked one of the first major federal terrorism prosecutions involving individuals accused of connections to antifa.
Prosecutors maintained that the defendants engaged in a coordinated plot that resulted in the shooting of a police officer, while supporters of the defendants argued the government was criminalizing political activism and protest activity.
With the sentences now imposed, appeals are anticipated as defense teams challenge both the convictions and the severity of the punishments handed down by the court.
Caption:
A federal judge sentenced Benjamin Song to 100 years in prison for his role in the 2025 attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Texas. Eight other defendants received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years following convictions on terrorism-related charges connected to the incident.
Video Credit: CBS Texas
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