Alleged Assault on ICE Agents by California Health Workers Leads to Serious Charges
two California healthcare workers, Jose de Jesus Ortega and Danielle Nadine Davila, were federally indicted for interfering with Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) agents during an operation to detain an undocumented immigrant. the incident occurred earlier this month at a surgery center in San Bernardino County when ICE officers tried to apprehend a fleeing illegal alien who entered the facility to evade capture. Ortega and Davila allegedly obstructed the officers by physically blocking them and pushing one of the agents. They face felony charges for assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal officers under 18 U.S.C. 111, with their trial scheduled for October 6. The U.S. Attorney emphasized that interfering with federal law enforcement will result in prosecution regardless of one’s occupation or position. This case reflects the trump governance’s firm stance on immigration enforcement, sending a message that sanctuary policies will not protect those obstructing federal agents.
California health care workers accused of interfering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday and will now face a trial.
Immigration officers were attempting to detain an illegal alien who was trying to flee, when Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, stepped in.
They’ve been hit with one felony count of assaulting, resisting, and impeding a federal officer, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the central district of California.
Their trial is set for Oct. 6.
“Update: A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against both medical workers for assaulting a federal agent during an immigration enforcement operation,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on the social media website X Wednesday. “Both defendants will now stand trial for a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. 111.”
He also included video of the incident showing the two individuals attempting to block the ICE agents from the suspect. A slight shoving match also ensued.
Essayli wrote that the incident had taken place earlier this month at a surgery center in San Bernardino County. He then chastised the media for initially reporting that the illegal was apprehended during a medical appointment.
“That was false,” Essayli continued. “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.”
He added, “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.”
Update: A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against both medical workers for assaulting a federal agent during an immigration enforcement operation. Both defendants will now stand trial for a felony violation of 18 U.S.C. 111. https://t.co/HtPKTzWYKp
— Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) August 27, 2025
The news release said officers had been following a truck “with three adult men when the truck made a quick turn into the parking lot of a surgery center in Ontario.
“Officers approached the men after the men had exited the truck, and two of the men ran away.”
“One of the fleeing men — an illegal alien from Honduras — was partially detained near the surgery center’s front entrance before he resisted and pulled away, causing both him and the ICE officer to fall to the ground,” the release continued.
“Shortly afterward, a medical staffer helped the alien off the ground and helped pull him away from the officer. The alien proceeded inside the surgery center and was pursued by the ICE officer, who eventually stopped him.”
The two 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,” according to the release.
If they’re convicted, the defendants could face up to a maximum of eight years in federal prison.
This is what happens when you interfere with federal law enforcement. A standard needs to be set.
These officers are enforcing laws that are already on the books. The debate about those laws has been settled.
If someone doesn’t like the law, or feels it’s too harsh, there are several ways to express discontent. They can call on their local and federal leaders, start a petition, blog about the experience, and their story, or use their First Amendment right to protest.
What you cannot do is exert your will over law enforcement, simply because you don’t agree with the law.
By charging these individuals, the Trump administration is sending a clear message: The border is closed to illegal immigrants, and there’s nowhere left to hide.
Sanctuary states and cities cannot be given a free pass and must face accountability for their actions.
The country delivered a powerful mandate in November. President Donald Trump said exactly what he was going to do, outlined exactly how he was going to do it, and now it’s becoming a reality.
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