By News Editor 
The Incident Through A Critical Lens
On July 4th—a date loaded with bitter irony for colonized peoples—a coordinated action targeted the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. While mainstream media frames this as a “coordinated attack,” we must examine what really happened and why, particularly given the historical context of resistance against state violence in non-white communities. ICE vehicles were tagged up with messages that resonate with the attackers and most anti-fascist ideologies.
The group was coordinated throughout the DFW area, and invoked class warfare as a rally cry. The names of the individuals charged are as follows:
• Cameron Arnold
• Savannah Batten
• Nathan Baumann
• Zachary Evetts
• Joy Gibson
• Bradford Morris
• Maricela Rueda
• Seth Sikes
• Elizabeth Soto
• Ines Soto
The action involved 10-12 individuals who used fireworks, graffiti, and property damage to challenge an institution that has terrorized families for decades. The graffiti—“ICE pig,” “traitor,” and other expressions of rage—represents the visceral anger of a community that has watched loved ones disappear into these modern-day concentration camps.
Critical Analysis of Motives and Context
The Symbolism of July 4th
The timing was no accident. Independence Day represents freedom for some while marking centuries of ongoing colonization for Indigenous peoples and related, but immigrant, communities. Choosing this date to resist ICE—an agency that epitomizes state violence against native peoples—transforms a celebration of settler colonialism into a moment of decolonial resistance.
Understanding the “Coordinated Attack” Narrative
Law enforcement’s framing of this as an “attack” serves specific ideological purposes:
State Narrative Construction: By emphasizing the “military-style clothing” and “coordinated” nature, authorities manufacture a terrorism narrative that justifies expanded surveillance and repression of our communities.
Deflection from Systemic Violence: The focus on individual “attackers” obscures the daily violence ICE inflicts on our people—family separation, medical neglect, sexual assault, and psychological torture within detention centers.
Criminalization of Resistance: Labeling anti-ICE actions as “attacks” delegitimizes the moral authority of those fighting against institutional oppression.
The Reality of ICE Violence
ICE detention centers like Prairieland are sites of ongoing human rights violations:
- Family Separation: Children torn from parents, often permanently
- Medical Neglect: Documented cases of people dying from treatable conditions
- Sexual Violence: Systematic abuse of detained women and LGBTQ+ individuals
- Psychological Torture: Prolonged detention destroying mental health
- Profit Motive: Private prisons profiting from human suffering
Examining Law Enforcement’s Response
The Escalation Pattern
The incident escalated when law enforcement arrived. The shooting of the Alvarado officer represents a tragic escalation, but we must contextualize this within the broader pattern of state violence against our communities. ICE agents and local police collaborating with immigration enforcement have killed dozens of our people with impunity.
The “Unarmed Officers” Narrative
Describing ICE officers as “unarmed” obscures their role in armed state violence. These officers may not have carried weapons in that moment, but they represent an institution that relies on guns, cages, and deportation planes to terrorize our communities.
Disproportionate Response
The massive law enforcement response—multiple agencies, extensive searches, federal charges—demonstrates how the state mobilizes when its violence is challenged. Compare this to the lack of accountability when ICE agents kill or abuse detained people.
The Broader Pattern of Resistance
Current Moment
With Trump’s return to power, attacks on communities have intensified. The “Resist Fascism. Fight Oligarchy” flag found at the scene reflects growing consciousness about the connections between capitalism, white supremacy, and immigration enforcement.
Critical Questions the Media Won’t Ask
About the Charges
Why are property damage and fireworks being prosecuted as “attempted murder of federal officers”? This charge inflation serves to terrorize anyone considering resistance to ICE.
About the Facilities
Why isn’t the media investigating conditions inside Prairieland? What violence does ICE commit there daily that goes unreported?
The Larger Struggle
Beyond Individual Actions
While we can analyze the tactical questions around this particular action, we must recognize it as part of a broader struggle for liberation. The majority of non-white or right wing communities face:
- Economic Violence: Exploitation of undocumented workers by employers
- Cultural Genocide: Attacks on ethnic studies, Spanish language, and our cultural practices
- Environmental Racism: Pollution and climate change disproportionately affecting our communities
- Political Exclusion: Voter suppression and gerrymandering limiting our electoral power
In the opinion of many historical precedents, resistance requires multiple strategies:
- Direct Action: Disrupting ICE operations and supporting those under attack
- Community Defense: Know Your Rights trainings, rapid response networks, sanctuary organizing
- Political Education: Understanding connections between capitalism, colonialism, and immigration enforcement
- Cultural Work: Maintaining language identities, traditions, and ways of being as acts of resistance
Conclusion: Toward Liberation
The Alvarado action signals both the desperation and determination of a community under siege. While many can debate tactics, most cannot ignore the moral clarity of those willing to risk everything to challenge an institution that destroys families and communities. The real violence isn’t fireworks and graffiti—it’s the daily operation of detention centers, the trauma of family separation, and the murder of our people by Border Patrol agents. Until we address these root causes, resistance will continue to emerge in various forms.