Alleged Ringleader of White House UFC Terror Plot Identified as Mexican National With DACA Status, DHS Says

CM News Staff | June 18, 2026

Federal prosecutors say the man accused of masterminding a foiled plot to attack last weekend's UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House is a Mexican national who has lived in the United States for years under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) protections. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the suspect's immigration status this week as the Justice Department laid out new details of an alleged conspiracy involving explosive-laden drones and snipers.

Key Facts

Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested by the FBI on June 14, the day of the UFC Freedom 250 event, which was held on the White House South Lawn to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States and coincided with President Donald Trump's 80th birthday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer against Alvarez following his arrest. The Justice Department identified him as the alleged ringleader of a five-man conspiracy that also includes Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of Calimesa, California; Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California; and Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri.

The Full Story

According to federal court filings, investigators allege Alvarez operated under the online alias "Shepherd" in encrypted Signal chats and on TikTok, where he allegedly directed fellow conspirators on sniper placement, the assembly of explosive drones, and an escape plan. Prosecutors say the plan involved flying explosive-laden drones near the event to trigger a mass evacuation, then positioning snipers to fire on fleeing crowds during a planned "second wave" targeting a security checkpoint. Court documents indicate the group discussed high-profile targets in attendance, including President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Elon Musk, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ultimately did not attend.

The investigation began on June 10 after the mother of co-defendant Tycen Proper alerted authorities in Knox County, Ohio, that her son had spent thousands of dollars on firearms and tactical gear and had been corresponding online with people who described themselves as "ex-military and Christian-based." A search of Proper's phone allegedly revealed chats with the user "Shepherd," whom investigators traced through a TikTok account back to an IP address registered to Alvarez's home in Omaha. The FBI arrested Alvarez on June 14 following a search of a Methodist church Alvarez owns in the small town of Western, Nebraska, which he had allegedly designated as a fallback location after the planned attack. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel credited a "multi-state operation" spanning Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and California with disrupting the plot before it could be carried out.

Background

DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told reporters that Alvarez should never have been allowed to remain in the country and said he would face prosecution before being removed once his case concludes. According to Fox News, Alvarez entered the United States as a child on a B2 visitor visa that expired in 2001, after which he remained in the country without legal status until 2014, when the Obama administration granted him deferred action under DACA, a program that shields certain undocumented immigrants who arrived as children from deportation and grants them work authorization. Court records reviewed by Nebraska Public Media did not list Alvarez's immigration status or country of origin, though he consented to consular notification, a standard procedure for foreign nationals facing federal charges. The State Department has not said whether it intends to revoke Alvarez's DACA status if he is convicted.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts both issued statements following the arrests, with Pillen praising the Nebraska State Patrol's role in the FBI-led operation and Ricketts calling the plot a reminder that politically motivated violence can emerge from anywhere in the country. Vice President Vance told reporters the plot was "not that advanced" at the time it was disrupted, while also warning that heated political rhetoric on both sides of the aisle has contributed to a climate of violence.

What Happens Next

Alvarez made an initial court appearance by videoconference this week and is due back in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, on June 24 for a detention and preliminary hearing. If convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, he and his co-defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine; the separate charge of conspiring to commit violence on White House grounds carries up to five additional years. The Justice Department says the investigation remains active and has not ruled out further arrests connected to the broader chat group in which the plot was allegedly discussed.

Conclusion

All five defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law, and the criminal complaints against them contain allegations rather than established findings of fact. What is established is that federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across four states coordinated to disrupt an alleged plot before the UFC Freedom 250 event went forward without incident, and that the case has reignited debate in Washington over immigration enforcement, deferred-action programs, and security at high-profile political gatherings. The outcome of Alvarez's June 24 hearing, and any decision by the State Department on his DACA status, are likely to keep the case in the national spotlight in the weeks ahead.

Sources: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs; ABC News; Fox News; Ne

braska Public Media; WOWT Omaha.