Jury seated in second federal trial for 9 involved in alleged attack at North Texas ICE facility

A jury has been seated in the trial for the so-called Prairieland defendants.

Nine men and women are on trial, facing a variety of federal charges, accused of being part of a "North Texas Antifa cell."

According to court documents, the group attacked the Prairieland detention center in Alvarado last July, setting off fireworks, vandalizing property, and shooting at police officers who responded. One officer was struck in the neck with a bullet and survived.

The charges include attempted murder, aiding terrorists and weapons charges. Those supporting the defendants have called those charges outrageous, saying the defendants were there protesting ICE and that the government has gone overboard to send a message.

The judge asked potential jurors about whether they could be impartial on an array of hot-button issues, including U.S. immigration policy, ICE officers, the term "antifa," political protests, firearms and the transgender community. 

The first trial ended virtually before it began last Tuesday. Judge Mark Pittman declared a mistrial after discovering that a defense attorney was wearing a graphic t-shirt depicting civil rights protestors. The shirt violated the court's rules of conduct.

All the action is taking place at the federal courthouse in Fort Worth; the public and the media are allowed to watch at the federal courthouse in Dallas.

When the trial begins, defense teams have just 8 minutes for each opening statement. Pittman reduced the time after declaring a mistrial last week.

The Prairieland trial is expected to last up to three weeks.