Alvarado ICE facility ambush trial: Defendants allegedly discussed guns, cameras & exit routes on Signal app

FORT WORTH, Texas - Jurors got their first hint at dissension among the nine co-defendants charged in the July 4, 2025, alleged attack on the Alvarado ICE detention center.

Meagan Morris is revealed to have expressed that she and others were duped into participating.

Trial Testimony Day 6

What we know:

The nine defendants in this case – Daniel Estrada, Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, Maricela Rueda, Bradford Morris, Savanna Batten, Benjamin Song, Zachary Evetts, and Cameron Arnold – are each accused of attacking the ICE Prairieland Detention Center on July 4, 2025, allegedly under Song’s direction.

Song is accused of firing the shot that injured Alvarado Police Department Lt. Thomas Gross. Song allegedly hid in the woods for a night after the violence and was captured roughly a week later.

Defense attorneys have argued there was no ambush. They called it a planned noise demonstration to show support for the immigration detainees.

What's new:

The testimony on Wednesday was from lead Texas Rangers investigator Tyler Williamson.

He told jurors he interviewed Morris the morning after her arrest. She was stopped and detained while driving away from the scene in a red minivan carrying guns, a bulletproof vest, and walkie-talkies.

The ranger read for the jury from his report on what Morris said.

"My suspicion is (deleted name) wanted to do this the whole time, to shoot someone. (Deleted name) wanted us all to have our guns there as a distraction, to do his little (deleted name) fantasy and run away," he said. "I don’t think it’s an accident that (deleted name) set things up to have a bunch of people there for cover while he gets the (expletive) away. I feel disgusted and betrayed."

Jurors also saw evidence in court from group chats on the Signal messaging app. Individuals, including some of the co-defendants, discussed issues including the decision to bring rifles, the location of a nearby Ring camera to avoid, the locations of nearby police departments, the weather forecast, and an exit route.

What's next:

The trial is expected to last about three weeks.

Several defendants face up to life in prison if convicted.

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Alvarado ICE Ambush

The nine defendants in this case are accused of participating in what federal prosecutors have called a planned ambush at the Prairieland ICE Detention Center on July 4, 2025.

Authorities allege fireworks were ignited, buildings and vehicles were damaged, and federal officers were fired upon. An Alvarado police officer responding to a 911 call was shot in the neck and survived.

Prosecutors contend the attack was orchestrated by members of what they describe as a North Texas Antifa cell and have labeled the case the first federal indictment in the nation tied to alleged Antifa-related domestic terrorism charges.

The defendants have denied wrongdoing, and their supporters insist the gathering was a protest and that not everyone present participated in the violence.

Five other people arrested in connection with the incident previously accepted plea deals and are expected to testify as the trial moves forward.