A Cuban national in the U.S. illegally was sentenced Tuesday to 10 months in federal prison for ramming two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles in San Antonio, according to court documents and federal officials.
Robyn Argote-Brooks, 25, of Havana, Cuba, was also ordered to pay $9,767 in restitution and a $200 special assessment for the destruction of government property. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery imposed the sentence after a three-day jury trial in San Antonio that ended with convictions on two counts of destruction of government property.
Argote-Brooks was arrested at the scene in January after he used his vehicle to damage an SUV and a sedan, both owned by the U.S. government and maintained by ICE. Each vehicle sustained more than $1,000 in damage. Video captured Argote-Brooks ramming the vehicles in what prosecutors described as a deliberate attempt to avoid arrest, endangering ICE agents on foot.
The initial complaint charged Argote-Brooks with one count of destruction of government property. A federal indictment in February added a second count of destruction of government property and a charge of forcibly assaulting a federal officer. The jury convicted him on both property destruction counts, though the assault charge was not part of the final conviction.
Judge Biery sentenced Argote-Brooks to 10 months on each count, to run concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release.
The case unfolded amid a nationwide spike in attacks on ICE agents. Just a week before Argote-Brooks’ arrest, the Department of Homeland Security announced that assaults against ICE personnel had surged by more than 1,300 percent, vehicular attacks by 3,200 percent, and death threats by 8,000 percent compared to the previous year.
According to DHS data, ICE agents conducting immigration enforcement were subjected to 66 vehicular attacks between January 21, 2025, and January 7, 2026, versus just two during the same period the prior year.
At the time, DHS officials blamed sanctuary policies and political rhetoric for the increase. Tricia McLaughlin, then Assistant DHS Secretary, said in a January statement, “This unprecedented increase in violence against law enforcement is a direct result of sanctuary politicians and the media creating an environment that demonizes our law enforcement and encourages rampant assaults against them.”
McLaughlin added, “Dangerous criminals – whether they be illegal aliens or U.S. citizens – are assaulting law enforcement and turning their vehicles into weapons to attack law enforcement.”
ICE Homeland Security Investigations led the probe into Argote-Brooks, with assistance from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations.
The sentencing comes as the Biden administration’s immigration policies—and more recently, the Trump administration’s enforcement push—have kept border security and attacks on federal agents in the national spotlight. Argote-Brooks’ case highlights the risks ICE agents face during routine operations, even as officials tout increased enforcement numbers.
Neither Argote-Brooks’ defense attorney nor ICE officials commented beyond the court record.
The 10-month sentence is markedly shorter than the maximum penalty for destruction of government property, which can carry up to 10 years in federal prison. The concurrent sentences and supervised release terms suggest the judge weighed the defendant’s lack of prior felony record and the nature of the offenses.
Legal experts note that while the sentence may seem lenient given the violent circumstances, federal guidelines often account for the defendant’s criminal history and the specific facts of the case.
For ICE agents, the incident is a reminder of the dangers they face. The agency has repeatedly called for harsher penalties for those who assault federal officers, arguing that such attacks undermine law enforcement and public safety.
As the case closes, the broader debate over immigration enforcement and the treatment of illegal aliens continues. But for Argote-Brooks, the immediate consequence is clear: 10 months behind bars and a nearly $10,000 bill for the damage he caused.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/09/03/cuban-illegal-alien-gets-10-months-fine-for-ramming-ice-vehicles-in-san-antonio/