Federal authorities have revealed a shocking detail about Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, the alleged ringleader of a plot to kill U.S. government officials and attendees at UFC Freedom 250. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Alvarez entered the United States on a B2 visitor visa in December 2001 and never left after it expired.

The DHS announced on June 18, 2026, that Alvarez was granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status in 2014 under the Obama administration. The FBI arrested Alvarez in Omaha, Nebraska on June 14.

The criminal case follows a Justice Department announcement on June 16 that five men were charged with conspiracy to commit murder and violence. The defendants are Tycen Proper, Bryan Roa, Michael Thomas, Daniel Eskridge, and Alvarez.

Prosecutors alleged the plot involved using drones armed with explosives to force an evacuation at UFC Freedom 250, with snipers positioned to target high-value officials fleeing the scene. The FBI identified Alvarez, who allegedly operated under the alias “Shepherd,” as the mastermind of the planned attack.

DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis stated that Alvarez should never have been allowed in the country and emphasized he would face justice and be removed from the United States.

The immigration record cited by DHS has become a political flashpoint, revealing that the man at the center of an alleged plot to kill American officials was granted protected status after overstaying his visa by more than two decades. All five men are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.