Texas court sentences eight protesters to 50-100 years for 2025 ICE facility protest

A Texas court on Tuesday sentenced eight people convicted of terrorism and related charges stemming from a July 2025 protest at the Prairieland ICE detention facility in Alvarado to prison terms ranging from 50 to 100 years. A ninth defendant, Daniel Sanchez-Estrada, received a 30-year sentence after conviction for moving boxes of printed materials following a phone call from his wife, who participated in the protest.

Sentences and charges Five of the eight protesters received 50-year terms, including two individuals who arrived after planning and left when guards directed them to depart. Maricela Rueda, Sanchez-Estrada’s wife, was sentenced to 70 years. Benjamin Song, who fired at and struck a police officer, received 100 years.

Prosecutors obtained a terrorism conviction unrelated to ideology.

experts First Amendment groups stated the sentences, particularly Sanchez-Estrada’s, send a chilling message regarding possession of ideological materials. Seth Stern of the Freedom of the Press Foundation said the materials were comparable to pamphlets protected by the First Amendment’s press clause.

Sentencing experts noted that stacking multiple convictions produced unusually long terms. One expert described the 30-year sentence for post-incident conduct within a family context as likely to draw the broadest concern. Lydia Koza, whose wife received a 50-year term, told the Associated Press that the government sought to remove an entire life for attending a protest where no one died.

All defendants are expected to appeal both convictions and sentences.