
Employees of a California medical facility who interfered with federal agents pursuing an illegal alien earlier this month have now been arrested, authorities say.
On Friday, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced criminal charges against Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, in connection with the incident, which unfolded on July 8 in San Bernardino County.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting roving immigration-related operations in Ontario were approaching Denis Guillen-Solis, a 30-year-old Honduran landscaper, when he fled on foot.
Officers chased Guillen-Solis to the entrance of Ontario Advanced Surgical Center, but while they were attempting to take him into custody, staff at the facility dragged the Honduran inside the building and proceeded to obstruct ICE.
“The media originally reported that the illegal alien was taken during a medical appointment. That was false. The illegal alien arrested inside the surgery center was not a patient. He ran inside for cover and these defendants attempted to block his apprehension by assaulting our agents,” Essayli explained in a statement.
Witness footage clearly shows medical workers harassing and impeding federal officers, with one woman even pushing her way between an officer and the Honduran.
“Ortega and Davila, both dressed in medical scrubs, impeded and interfered with the arrest – Davila by wedging herself in between the officer and the alien, pushing the officer, and shouting, ‘Let him go!’ and ‘Get out!’; Ortega by grabbing the officer’s arm and then his vest,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, explained in a press release.
Ortega and Davila have both been charged with assaulting a federal officer and conspiracy to prevent by force and intimidation a federal officer from discharging his duties.
“I can’t be anymore clear. If anyone touches our agents or gets in our way, you will be arrested and charged with a federal crime,” Essayli warned.
Illegal aliens and radical leftists have become increasingly brazen in their resistance to immigration law enforcement.
DHS says attacks on ICE agents are up more than 830% since last year.