Rights Defenders in Texas Denounce Federal "Terrorism" Charges
Actions denouncing the arrests and imprisonment of people who protested Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and detention continue in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. On October 3, there was a demonstration in support of the 17 people arrested in relation to a July 4 demonstration against ICE at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. The 17 have been held since July, contending with solitary confinement and bail of up to $10 million. They did not even have arraignments until September 24, something which usually happens within days. A few secured bail and the rest were sent to a jail in Wichita Falls, 225 kilometres away.
Organizing continues, at the detention centre and in surrounding communities, with Dallas-Fort Worth activists saying, "We will build a wall of resistance and resilience against the State's efforts to dismantle our movements."
To further terrorize the people, on October 15, federal prosecutors in Texas filed federal "terrorism" charges against two of the people arrested in July, saying they are part of what the government calls "antifa." This is the first time federal "terrorism" charges, which carry heavier sentences, have been used against protesters. Some of the 17 arrested face state-level "terrorism" and attempted murder charges.
In justifying the arrests and charges, the claims made by the federal government about what took place are dubious and filled with inconsistencies. Organizers brought out that the July 4 Prairieland protest involved about a dozen people, who made noise and set off some fireworks at the detention centre to express their solidarity with the workers detained inside. Federal officers called local police to the scene. The shooting took place afterward, with an exchange of gunfire between an Alvarado police officer and one other person. The FBI admits they do not know if the officer fired first. The government also admits there are more than 200 FBI agents involved in this case, far more than normal for a single shooting involving minor injuries. Their role, like that of ICE, is to intimidate and repress resistance.
Nine people in the area were arrested later that night and early next morning. Other people were arrested in the days that followed, including during aggressive multi-agency raids on homes and community centres. Agents deployed flashbang grenades, caused extensive damage, and detained spouses, family members, and housemates without cause. Those arrested include partners and roommates who likely never set foot in Alvarado.
The two people facing federal terrorism charges are not being charged with shooting the officer or even being involved in the shooting. Instead, Zachary Evetts and Autumn Hill are being accused of "providing material support to terrorists" and having "aided and abetted" the alleged attempted murder of government officers. They were not arrested at the detention centre that night but only in one of the later raids.
The federal charges are consistent with President Donald Trump's recent executive orders targeting resistance to ICE and to the impunity of the government as it eliminates use of domestic law and imposes conditions of war. Protesters, immigrant workers, students, and community members are broadly being branded as "enemies" to be arbitrarily detained and arrested, to face federal "terrorism" charges and to be deported.
Trump and the FBI are branding people as being part of "antifa," which Trump designated as a "terrorist" organization, even though it is known, and admitted by the government, that it does not exist as a unified, national organization. What is also known is that the stand of being anti-fascist is being used to target the movements of the people for their rights.
The arrests and treatment of those involved and the communities raided have been denounced by various organizations standing in support, including the National Lawyers Guild. The Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Support Committee -- organized to defend those arrested, raise legal defence funds and continue actions against ICE -- has provided support since the July arrests and continues to denounce government actions and attacks on the community. In a statement, the DFW Support Committe brings out: "The glaring inconsistencies in the official narrative and the alarmist accusations are a clear attempt to bolster the Trump administration's claims that the United States is on the verge of chaos, and to excuse a dramatic increase in militarized police action." They add, "This systematic demolition of our freedoms cannot be stopped by appeasement and capitulation. Those who face this state terror deserve our support, not silence. This is a historic moment; the future is yet unwritten. What we know for sure is that the best chance for all of us to live full and free lives is to join together and be brave."
(Photo: spacecityao)
This article was published in
Volume 55
Number 44 - October 21, 2025
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2025/Articles/TS55443.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca