Today, eight defendants in the Prairieland case were sentenced to prison, with a combined time of 450 years. Each of the defendants received sentences ranging from 30 to 100 years in federal prison. This is a grave injustice and nothing short of malicious political persecution by the federal government.
On Fourth of July 2025, these brave protesters rallied for a noise demonstration in solidarity with immigrant detainees at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. The Department of Justice wants the world to believe that these protesters were part of a violent terror cell dubbed “antifa.” The Government relied on zines, political rhetoric, and common activist practices as “proof” that the protesters coordinated a planned ambush resulting in an officer being non-fatally shot.
The U.S., aided by Judge Mark T. Pittman (appointed by President Trump) and Judge Reed O’Connor (appointed by President George W. Bush), has made clear that showing up for immigrant rights and fighting against fascism will result in imprisonment. Anyone who seeks to take action opposing the Trump administration’s atrocities will be targeted, prosecuted, and sentenced to the fullest extent. Indeed, as stated by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, “The sentences handed down today make clear that Antifa terrorists who attack law enforcement and federal facilities will face swift and uncompromising justice[.]” Make no mistake: “antifa” is nothing more than a placeholder for “leftist,” a boogeyman created for political goals.
In a case that has been politicized since the start, it still shocks us to see protesters receive extreme sentences of 30 to 100 years for attending a Fourth of July noise demonstration. The federal government and the state of Texas want us to feel defeated. This case wants to chill dissent and enable the Trump administration to act without accountability for its brutal treatment of immigrant communities. Organizers and community activists must not allow this to stop the important work we are doing. We must continue to protest ICE and fight for our community members’ rights.
The NLG will not be deterred in its commitment to supporting the Prairieland defendants and all communities raising their voices against the federal government’s human rights atrocities.
Prior NLG Statements on the Prairieland Defendants:
- March 2026: NLG Calls for More Support to Prairieland Defendants After Verdict, as Fight Is Far From Over
- February 2026: All Eyes on Prairieland: Judge Attacks Right to Fair Trial in First “Antifa” Case
- January 2026: Who Isn’t a Domestic Terrorist?
- November 2025: Alarming Criminalization of Green Card Holder
- October 2025: NLG Stands with Anti-ICE Dissent
- August 2025: NLG Stands in Support of Prairieland Defendants
