Eight defendants convicted on terrorism charges in the so-called “Prairieland” case — where an anti-ICE protest at a Texas immigration detention center led to a shooting that injured a police officer — received sentences ranging between 30 and 100 years in federal prison on Tuesday.

One of the defendants, Benjamin Song, had been convicted of opening fire during what had otherwise been a “noise demonstration” outside Prairieland Detention Facility in Alvarado, Texas, on July 4, 2025. He was sentenced to 100 years.

“The need to deter this type of conduct is high,” U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor said in court Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

The government worked to tie the defendants together, charging eight with material support for terrorism and a ninth defendant, who was not present at the demonstration, with corruptly concealing documents, as he allegedly moved magazines and other materials. That defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada, received a 30-year sentence. Others received 50- or 70-year sentences.

This case has gained plenty of national attention, as it’s being seen as an example of the Trump administration’s efforts to fight antifa — slang for antifascist, and sometimes a shorthand reference to decentralized local activist groups. The administration has labeled antifa as a terrorist organization and uses the designation to target and silence domestic groups and individuals. Attorneys for the defendants denied any ties to antifa, according to the AP.

The conditions inside the Prairieland facility raised concerns among lawmakers and protesters. After touring the facility, Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Texas) told KERA News that the center was overcrowded and lacked proper ventilation. Detainees were also unable to get in touch with their families or access important legal information, such as their deportation status.

Last week, the Justice Department announced charges against 15 people who investigators claimed were part of anti-fascist groups for allegedly “violently” impeding officers from immigration enforcement.

However, many of these kinds of cases fail. At the end of last year, federal prosecutors charged 36 people with impeding federal officers, but 18 of those cases were dropped.

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