A federal judge in Fort Worth found probable cause for the cases against eight defendants accused of opening fire outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Alvarado on July 4th to go to a grand jury.

The defendants — Cameron Arnold, Nathan Bauman, Zachary Evetts, Bradford Morris, Maricela Rueda, Elizabeth Soto, Ines Sota, and Benjamin Hanil Song — are among 17 people arrested in connection with the attack.

The judge also ruled that all eight will have to stay behind bars in Johnson County as their cases proceed.  

FBI describes suspect as cult-like leader  

The first witness, an FBI agent, testified that Song acted as a cult-like leader of the group involved in the shooting. Prosecutors presented evidence of a conspiracy that included ambushing officers, setting off fireworks, damaging property, and trespassing.

Authorities said many of the suspects embraced antifa and anarchist ideologies. Investigators also recovered anarchist publications, or "zines," and said the group used encrypted messaging platforms that automatically wipe data.

According to the testifying FBI agent, gunshot residue was found on several of the defendants and DNA on some of the guns that police recovered, including more than 50 from various places after the attack.

New evidence also revealed the defendants brought first aid kits to the facility. The prosecution said the kits were intended for use in an attack. The defense said their clients are people who fear law enforcement will shoot them during a peaceful demonstration and brought them just in case.  

That agent testified that Song was the suspect who shot the police officer.

Defense argues "antifa thinking" is not a crime

Each defense attorney argued that anti-government beliefs and antifa thinking are not grounds for a crime.

Many of the defense teams downplayed their client's role in the July Fourth incident, discounting the certainty of gunshot residue evidence, arguing that owning guns is legal, and laying the majority of the blame at the feet of Song.

One defense attorney argued that their client did not know what was going to happen that night, thinking they were just driving to protest.

July 4th attack at a Texas immigration detention

The attack occurred around 11 p.m. on July 4 outside the Prairieland ICE detention facility, which houses between 1,000 and 2,000 immigration detainees.

According to the Alvarado Police Department, officers responding to the scene saw a person carrying what appeared to be a firearm. When one officer attempted to engage, multiple suspects opened fire.

Body camera footage captured the chaos as gunfire erupted. One officer was struck in the neck and flown to a Fort Worth hospital. He was treated and later released.

Weapons seized, suspect found hiding  

Authorities said more than 50 weapons were seized in connection with the group. Additional firearms were recovered days later when Song was found hiding in a Dallas apartment.

Song faces charges of engaging in organized criminal activity, aggravated assault on a public servant, and aiding in the commission of terrorism, according to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

FBI testimony also highlighted "zines" anarchist publications discovered in searches, and said the group communicated through an encrypted platform that wipes data.

Security the night of the July 4th attack

The Prairieland facility had no security the night of the shooting, according to a witness, who also mentioned significant staffing shortages around that time. 

The facility now has a 24/7 armed officer in three different locations.

Attack against CBP federal agents in McAllen, Texas 

A man with an assault rifle fired dozens of rounds at federal agents as they were leaving a U.S. Border Patrol facility in McAllen on July 7. 

The man, identified as Ryan Louis Mosqueda, injured a police officer who responded to the scene before authorities shot and killed him. Police later found other weaponry, ammunition and backpacks inside his car.

"The obsessive attack on law enforcement, particularly ICE, must stop," Vice President JD Vance said on X. "I'm praying for everyone hurt in this attack and for their families."

Dallas ICE facility shooting leaves 1 detainee dead, 2 wounded

Homeland Security officials said a sniper opened fire Wednesday morning from the roof of a nearby law office into a walled-off courtyard where immigration detainees were signing paperwork before being bused to detention centers.

The three gunshot victims, initially identified only as immigration detainees, were taken to Parkland Hospital. Two have died from their injuries.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons identified the shooter as 29-year-old Joshua Jahn. 

FBI Director Kash Patel said Jahn's devices had records of him searching for information about ballistics, video of the assassination of Charlie Kirk and apps that tracked the presence of ICE agents.

"Anti-ICE" messaging was found on shell casings at the scene after shots were fired "indiscriminately" at the facility and at a van in the sallyport, officials said.