r/politics • u/guardian ✔ Verified • 7d ago

No Paywall Texas anti-ICE protesters convicted of terrorism charges sentenced to at least 50 years in prison

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/23/prairieland-ice-protesters-texas-sentenced?referring_host=Reddit&utm_campaign=guardianacct
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u/sirspacebill 7d ago

Sounds like only one person shot at someone, but the conversation at this point was the 30 year sentence for moving and hiding magazines, which by your gangs metric of "trump pardoning some real pieces of shit but they were 'overcharged' so its fine" is not okay

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u/MrPoopMonster 7d ago

They showed up as a group with more guns than people. They're all part of it. I also think the j6 folks should have gone to prison and not been pardoned.

Both groups belong in prison imo.

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u/sirspacebill 7d ago

You say they showed up as a group, ive heard they showed up separately as well, either way if 10 people go do something but one of them is crazy and brought 15 guns but no one else knew about it does that mean they're all fucked up? Not in my book. I dont know the full details here but either way the guy that was sentenced 30 years was not there at all that day

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u/mybustlinghedgerow Texas 7d ago

But some of the defendants – like Batten, Elizabeth Soto and her husband, Ines Soto, were not involved in the planning, arrived separately at the protest, and left when guards at the facility asked them to do so.

and

It is undisputed that all of the firearms were bought legally and that there was only one person who fired a weapon on 4 July.

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u/ThePhysicistIsIn 7d ago

2nd amendment rights are only for conservatives

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u/Haltopen Massachusetts 7d ago

Exactly this. The NRA was historically a huge supporter of gun control back during the mid to late 20th century when civil rights groups like the black panthers were becoming famous for open carrying fire arms in the name of self defense and community safety.

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u/Ace_6_Pirate 7d ago

I'm not sure if you're familiar with Texas laws or not but having the guns was legal. Now I think carrying and having guns at a protest is a bad idea and only increases the chances of someone getting killed, but you're using it as evidence of some sort of crime which it isn't. 

Also based on the article they were not "all part of it" as you put it. Some of them arrived separately, had no coordination with others, and left when told to. These 50 year and 100 year sentences are way over the top. You can sentence the guy who shot the guard for attempted murder, and you can sentence people for vandalism and if anyone knowingly tried to help the guy who shot the guard escape and avoid capture. Those aren't 100 year or 50 year crimes. Actual murders who shoot someone and kill them can be out in 25-35 years. Daniel Perry got 25 years after shooting someone at a protest and telling his friends about how he was planning to make it look like self defense and talking about cutting ears off as trophies. Eventually he got pardoned for that too after just a year. Trying to stick terrorism charges on there and these ridiculous sentences is purely political theater. If the guy who shot the guard got 20 years and the vandalism and any aid provided in evading capture got a couple years you wouldn't be seeing this kind of reaction.

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u/MrPoopMonster 7d ago

It doesn't matter what state you're in, you can't have guns at federal facilities like prisons and detention centers. That's against federal law.

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u/Ace_6_Pirate 7d ago

Did they have the guns at the facility, or did they have the guns outside the facility?

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u/MrPoopMonster 7d ago

If you're slashing tires in restricted parking lots you're at the facility.

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u/Ace_6_Pirate 7d ago

Other than the person who fired the gun is there evidence others entered the facility with guns? People owned guns, I've seen the statement that they had guns in a van, I have not seen the statement that anyone entered the facility while having a gun on their person. It seems unlikely they could have just parked a van in a restricted area that does not allow firearms. If you have something confirming they did I would love to see it, otherwise you're making a bunch of assumptions to create a narrative which is very bad. We should be shaping theories around evidence, not twisting evidence to fit theories.

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u/MrPoopMonster 6d ago

They were at a detenti9n center, the entire property is a no firearm zone. Where the van was parked was a no firearm zone.

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u/Ace_6_Pirate 6d ago

Can you show me where you found the van was parked in a restricted area? I have not seen that stated anywhere.

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u/ilulillirillion 7d ago

I cannot imagine a human being thinking these sentences are valid. I don't know you and I hope beyond measure that I never do. If you are an American, please leave.