Eight Antifa‑linked defendants sentenced to 450 years for Texas immigration centre riot
On 24 June 2026, U.S. federal judges announced that eight people with ties to the Antifa movement have received a cumulative sentence of 450 years for their role in a July 2025 riot outside the Prairieland Immigration Detention Centre in the North Texas suburb of Alvarado.
The charges brought by the Department of Justice included assault on a law‑enforcement officer, use of explosives and fireworks, rioting, providing material support to terrorists and obstruction of justice. The former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, believed to be the group’s leader, received the longest term of 100 years; other defendants received 30‑ to 70‑year sentences.
President Donald Trump had previously designated Antifa as a "domestic terrorist organisation" after the 2025 summer protests, a designation that was reaffirmed by U.S. courts. A federal judge described the July 4th actions as "an assault on democracy", while the DOJ spokesperson lauded the verdict as a clear warning that violent extremism will be dealt with sharply.
Defendants and their families contend that the sentences are excessively harsh, pointing out that the protest participants claimed to be there to support detained immigrants and were not intent on harming law‑enforcement officers. Some witnesses contended the riot was merely a "noise demonstration" that escalated unexpectedly.
The Prairieland site had been largely free of disruptions prior to the July 2025 incident. The DOJ highlighted the North Texas Antifa Cell as part of a network that seeks to overthrow the U.S. government and law‑enforcement system.
