Two Surgery Workers Charged for Interfering with ICE Investigation in California

In California, two individuals employed at a surgical facility have faced criminal charges for allegedly obstructing an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The charges against 38-year-old Jose de Jesus Ortega and 33-year-old Danielle Nadine Davila stem from an incident where they allegedly tried to prevent agents from apprehending an immigrant who had sought refuge in the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center. Disturbing video footage revealed a confrontation between an ICE agent and a female staff member who attempted to intercede on behalf of the immigrant.

Ortega was arrested on a recent Friday morning and has already made his initial appearance in court. Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to locate Davila. The federal complaint indicates that the charges arose from an event that occurred earlier this month when ICE agents were conducting routine searches and came across a truck that prompted suspicion. As the agents approached, two of the individuals in the truck fled, and one, an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, exchanged a struggle with agents before managing to seek refuge inside the surgery center with assistance from a staff member.

According to Bill Essayli, the acting U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, misinformed media reports suggested that the man was a patient at the center during the incident, which the authorities have since clarified. Essayli emphatically stated that the charges against Ortega and Davila reflect serious offenses against law enforcement, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for interference with ICE activities. If convicted, they face significant prison time, with maximum sentences up to eight years for assault and six years for conspiracy to obstruct a federal officer.

The dramatic events captured on camera showed Davila vocally opposing the arrest, shouting phrases like “let him go!” at the officers as the confrontation unfolded. California has become a focal point for contentious ICE operations, aligning with previous initiatives during the Trump administration that prompted numerous protests and heightened law enforcement responses. Community members, including family of the detained individual, have expressed concern over the incident, asserting it was an attack on civil rights rather than a legitimate enforcement action.