First Terrorism Charges Brought Against Alleged Antifa Members in Texas ICE Facility Attack

In a landmark move, federal prosecutors have filed terrorism-related charges against two individuals alleged to be part of an Antifa cell for their involvement in a July 4 attack on a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Texas. This marks the first time such charges have been applied to suspects associated with the anti-fascist movement, following President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.

Details of the Incident

The attack unfolded on Independence Day at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, located southwest of Dallas. According to court documents, a group of masked assailants dressed in black arrived at the facility, using fireworks to create a distraction while vandalizing vehicles and a guard shed with graffiti such as “Traitor” and “ICE Pig.” As correctional officers and local police responded, the attackers opened fire with semiautomatic rifles, injuring an Alvarado police officer who was shot in the neck. The officer was airlifted to a hospital and later released. Prosecutors allege the group brought multiple firearms, including AR-platform rifles equipped with binary triggers, and had conducted prior reconnaissance of the site, discussing logistics via encrypted messaging apps.

Ten to twelve individuals were initially arrested in connection with the incident, facing charges of attempted murder of federal officers and firearms offenses. Searches following the arrests uncovered anti-government materials, political flyers, and over 50 firearms purchased from various locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Suspects and New Charges

The two suspects now facing enhanced terrorism charges are Cameron Arnold of Dallas and Zachary Evetts of Waxahachie. A federal grand jury in Fort Worth indicted them on counts of providing material support to terrorists, in addition to the prior attempted murder and firearms charges. The indictment describes Arnold and Evetts as members of an Antifa-affiliated group that planned the ambush to target law enforcement. Messages exchanged among the group reportedly included statements like “I’m done with peaceful protests” and “Blue lives don’t matter,” reflecting their alleged ideological motivations.

Arnold is accused of training others in firearm use and close-quarters combat, as well as assembling rifles distributed to co-conspirators. Neither suspect has entered a plea yet, with a court hearing scheduled for October 22. Their attorneys have pushed back against the charges: Cody Cofer, representing Arnold, stated he looks forward to defending his client at trial, while Patrick McLain, Evetts’ lawyer, called the terrorism accusations politically motivated and unsupported by evidence.

Background on Antifa and Legal Context

Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is a decentralized movement of left-leaning activists who oppose fascism, racism, and far-right ideologies, often through protests and counter-demonstrations. It lacks formal leadership or a centralized structure, which experts say complicates efforts to classify it as a terrorist organization. The indictment portrays Antifa as a militant enterprise rooted in revolutionary anarchist or Marxist ideologies aiming to overthrow the U.S. government and law enforcement.

These charges come amid heightened political rhetoric. President Trump signed an executive order in September designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist group, a move questioned by legal experts due to First Amendment protections and the absence of a domestic equivalent to the State Department’s foreign terrorist list. The original charges against the suspects did not mention Antifa, raising concerns from defense attorneys about the addition of terrorism counts for political appeal.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the charges on social media, stating, “First time ever: the FBI arrested Antifa-aligned anarchist violent extremists and terrorism charges have been brought for the July 4 Prairieland ICE attack in Texas.” Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed this sentiment on X, declaring, “Antifa is a left-wing terrorist organization. They will be prosecuted as such.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson described the attack as an attempt to assassinate federal officers on a day of national celebration.