Former Marine handed 100-year sentence for ICE detention center ambush deemed assault on democracy

In a separate high-profile case, eight protesters whom the Justice Department described as connected to the far-left Antifa network were sentenced Tuesday to lengthy federal prison terms for their roles in a violent July 4, 2025, ambush outside an immigration detention center in North Texas.

Benjamin Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, received the harshest punishment: the maximum sentence of 100 years in prison. Song had previously been convicted of attempted murder for shooting Alvarado Police Lt. Thomas Gross, according to a report from The Associated Press.

Seven additional defendants were handed sentences ranging from 30 to 70 years. Among them were Autumn Hill and Savanna Batten, who each received 50-year prison terms, the report said.

At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor rejected the idea that the episode amounted to a protest, calling it instead “an assault on democracy.”

Prosecutor Frank Gatto pressed the court to impose severe penalties, arguing that the defendants embraced extremist views and “believe violence is justified.”

The sentences came after a federal jury trial in Fort Worth, where the defendants — identified by the DOJ as members of a North Texas Antifa cell — were convicted of providing material support to terrorists, rioting, and conspiring to use and carry explosives, News Agency previously reported.

Authorities said the ambush at the Prairieland ICE detention center involved fireworks, gunfire directed at officers, and damage to vehicles and buildings.

Despite the convictions, the defendants and their families have denied any affiliation with Antifa, maintaining that they were demonstrating in support of detained immigrants, The AP reported.

Song’s attorney, Phillip Hayes, argued his client only provided “suppressive fire” and that the police officer was struck by a ricocheted bullet after “aggressively” drawing his gun. 

“Song, aside from this day, has had an impeccable life. A former Marine. A good student,” Hayes said, noting Song’s intent to appeal. “He had a lot of good qualities that were just ignored. The judge went ahead and gave as much as he could.”

The case and subsequent convictions have been a focus for the Trump administration, which has prioritized cracking down on far-left militant groups. President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order designating Antifa as a domestic terrorist organization.

Following the initial guilty verdicts, Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the administration will “systematically dismantle Antifa,” while FBI official Kash Patel highlighted the bureau’s 24/7 commitment to hunting down and dismantling Antifa networks that attack federal law enforcement.