Federal authorities have arrested two staffers at a medical clinic in Ontario, California after they allegedly interfered with an ICE operation and assaulted federal agents.
The incident happened earlier this month when Honduran national Denis Guillen-Solis, described by officials as a landscaper, fled from law enforcement and ran into the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center,” Fox News reported.
He was not a patient and had no ties to the clinic, according to authorities.
U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli pushed back on how the media has covered the situation.
“This story is another example of a false narrative peddled by irresponsible members of the media in furtherance of a political agenda to delegitimize federal agents,” Essayli told Fox News.
“The illegal alien arrested inside the medical center was not a patient and was not in any way affiliated with that location. He ran inside for cover, and these medical workers attempted to block his apprehension by assaulting our agents,” he added.
“To be very clear, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you work, if you assault our agents or otherwise interfere with our operations, you will be arrested and charged with a federal crime,” Essayli said.
Two staffers were named in federal warrants signed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym.
Jose De Jesus Ortega and Danielle Nadine Davila were both charged with “forcibly assaulting, impeding, and interfering with a federal officer involving physical contact” and “conspiring to prevent, by force and intimidation, a federal officer from discharging his duties.”
Ortega was arrested on Friday morning. Davila, who was initially considered at large, was arrested hours later. Davila is listed on LinkedIn as a certified surgical technologist at the clinic.
According to the complaint, she allegedly put her hands on the ICE agent and physically wedged herself between him and the illegal immigrant.
ICE described what happened in a post on X on July 9.
“ICE officers conducted a targeted enforcement operation to arrest two illegal aliens. Officers in clearly marked ICE bulletproof vests approached the illegal alien targets as they exited a vehicle,” a Department of Homeland Security post said.
“One of the illegal aliens, Denis Guillen-Solis who is from Honduras, fled on foot to evade law enforcement. He ended up near the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center where hospital staff assaulted law enforcement and drug the officer and illegal alien into the facility,” the post continued.
“Then, the staff attempted to obstruct the arrest by locking the door, blocking law enforcement vehicles from moving, and even called the cops claiming there was a ‘kidnapping,’” the post added.
A video of the incident shows staff yelling at the agents.
“This is a private property,” one said.
“Get your hands off of him,” another added.
Democrat Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez, who represents Ontario, came to the defense of the clinic workers.
“It is devastating to watch the impact of ICE on our communities. This past Tuesday, Immigration Enforcement officers kidnapped constituents from a surgical center as they were doing their jobs,” she said.
“While I support law enforcement officers who act with integrity and uphold the law, I will never condone these cruel and lawless actions. Without accountability, we are left with armed men in masks dragging people off the street — this is not safety, not justice, and this is not who we should be,” Rodriguez added.
In another incident, anti-ICE activists in Denver helped an illegal migrant escape federal agents — even though the man was wanted in Italy for child rape, Fox News reported.
ICE Colorado said on Friday that their agents were trying to arrest Jose Reyes Leon-Deras, an illegal alien from El Salvador who had been convicted of child rape in Italy.
According to the agency, members of a local anti-ICE group, Colorado Rapid Response, posted alerts on social media warning people that ICE was in the area.
That warning gave Leon-Deras enough time to flee.