Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Medical Workers in Incident Involving ICE Officers

Two employees at a medical facility in Ontario, California, have been indicted by a federal grand jury after allegedly interfering with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during an attempted arrest outside their workplace.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, were each charged with one felony count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers. Their trial is scheduled for October 6.

What Happened That Day

The DOJ reports that on July 8, two ICE officers—wearing law-enforcement-marked vests and driving an unmarked government vehicle, were conducting immigration enforcement operations in the area.

After pursuing a truck with three men inside, the vehicle pulled into the parking lot of the medical center where Ortega and Davila worked.

Two passengers reportedly fled on foot. One of them—a Honduran national later identified as being in the U.S. without legal status, was initially stopped by an ICE officer but managed to break free, resulting in both falling to the ground.

Security footage shows a medical staffer helping the man to his feet before he ran into the building. ICE officers followed and attempted to detain him inside the facility.

DOJ: Staff Members Interfered With the Arrest

According to prosecutors:

Backup was requested, and the individual was eventually handcuffed and taken into federal custody.

At a later press conference, Ortega said facility staff had been instructed to verify identification and warrants before allowing law-enforcement entry.

If convicted, each defendant faces up to eight years in federal prison.

ABC7 later reported that the Honduran man was detained, sent to the Adelanto facility, and ultimately chose to voluntarily return to his home country.

Separate Supreme Court Development

In a separate immigration case, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan declined a request from four Mexican nationals seeking to delay deportation while appealing their removal orders.

The family, who reported fleeing cartel threats in Guerrero, Mexico, had previously been denied relief by an immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Justice Kagan’s decision allowed the removal order to proceed.

A Broader National Conversation

The two events—one involving alleged interference with federal officers, the other involving deportation proceedings, highlight the complex, often emotional debates surrounding immigration enforcement in the United States.

As these cases move forward, they continue to draw attention to the legal, ethical, and humanitarian questions at the center of the nation’s immigration system.