A campaign event hosted by attorneys connected to last year’s Alvarado ICE detention center attack case has become a point of contention in the Republican runoff for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
The controversy centers on candidate Alison Fox, who held a Sept. 30, 2025 petition-signing event in Fort Worth as part of her effort to qualify for the Republican primary ballot.
The event was sponsored by criminal defense attorneys Cody Cofer and Frank Sellers. At the time, both attorneys were representing defendants charged in connection with the July 4 attack on the Prairieland ICE Detention Center in Alvarado.
The attack involved members of a North Texas Antifa cell who arrived at the facility armed with firearms, body armor, and explosives before opening fire on officers. An Alvarado police officer was shot in the neck during the incident but survived.
Earlier this year, nine defendants were convicted on a variety of federal charges tied to the attack, including attempted murder of federal officers, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiracy offenses.
In a social media post following the event, Fox thanked Cofer and Sellers “for hosting such a wonderful signature signing and meet & greet.”
Reached for comment by Texas Scorecard, Fox pushed back on criticism surrounding the event.
“This criticism is both ridiculous and disappointing,” Fox said. “I was not aware that individuals attending a public petition signing event were representing defendants in that matter, and as a judicial candidate, I cannot ethically comment on pending or ongoing cases.”
Fox also defended the principle of legal representation for criminal defendants.
“What should concern voters is not guilt by association politics, but whether a candidate understands the Constitution, due process, and the importance of judicial impartiality,” Fox added. “Every person accused of a crime is entitled to legal representation under our system of justice. Attempts to turn that principle into a political attack reflect a troubling misunderstanding of how our justice system works.”
Her opponent in the Republican runoff, Thomas Smith, argued the episode reflects broader concerns about Fox’s candidacy in the Republican primary.
“This is another sign that my opponent is not really a Republican,” Smith told Texas Scorecard. “She’s a former Soros DA lawyer who recruited Democrats to vote in our primary to cancel out Republican votes.”
“I have over 20 endorsements from Tarrant County Republican leaders,” Smith continued. “Her support there is from lawyers for Antifa thugs who tried to murder our ICE officers on the 4th of July, and that sums up the difference between the two of us. She is the most leftist candidate to ever appear on a statewide Republican ballot in Texas.”
The runoff election for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals place 3 is scheduled for May 26. Early voting continues through Friday.
