Latest news with #JoseDeJesusOrtega
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Surgery center workers charged with blocking ICE from arresting immigrant who ran into their building
Two surgery workers in California have been charged with interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation for allegedly blocking agents from detaining an immigrant who ran into a surgery center to escape. Disturbing footage showed a masked agent holding back a female member of staff by her neck as she tried to step in the way. The agent forcefully pulls the woman before another worker intervenes. Criminal charges have now been filed against Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, who are accused of assaulting and interfering with an ICE investigation, according to a federal criminal complaint. Ortega was arrested Friday morning and has since made his first court appearance, while law enforcement is still searching for Davila. The charges stem from an incident at the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center in San Bernardino County earlier this month. 'The media originally reported that the illegal alien was taken during a medical appointment. That was false,' according to Bill Essayli, interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, whose office brought the charges. '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,' according to Essayli. '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.' The assault charge against Ortega and Davila carries a maximum statutory sentence of eight years in federal prison, and conspiracy to interfere with a federal officer carries up to six. According to an affidavit seen byThe Independent, the incident occurred on July 8 after two ICE agents, conducting roving searches, confronted a truck carrying three men. The truck pulled into the surgery parking lot and two of the men fled when approached. One of the men, who was reported to be in the United States illegally from Honduras, was detained near the surgery entrance, but resisted arrest and escaped into the building with help from a member of staff, according to the complaint. Agents then came across Ortega and Davila inside the building, where the altercation was caught on camera. In the footage, Davila can be heard shouting 'let him go!' and 'get out!' at the officers. California has become an epicenter of controversial ICE activity as part of Donald Trump's anti-immigration agenda, sparking widespread protests that provoked forceful law enforcement responses and the deployment of National Guard service members and Marines. 'This arrest was not about law enforcement,' according to Synai Alas, the niece of one of the targeted immigrants, speaking at a press conference calling for his release. 'It was about silencing him. My uncle is being targeted and prosecuted, not because he broke any law, but because he has fearlessly stood up to defend constitutional rights.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Surgery center workers charged with blocking ICE from arresting immigrant who ran into their building
Two surgery workers in California have been charged with interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation for allegedly blocking agents from detaining an immigrant who ran into a surgery center to escape. Disturbing footage showed a masked agent holding back a female member of staff by her neck as she tried to step in the way. The agent forcefully pulls the woman before another worker intervenes. Criminal charges have now been filed against Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, who are accused of assaulting and interfering with an ICE investigation, according to a federal criminal complaint. Ortega was arrested Friday morning and has since made his first court appearance, while law enforcement is still searching for Davila. The charges stem from an incident at the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center in San Bernardino County earlier this month. 'The media originally reported that the illegal alien was taken during a medical appointment. That was false,' according to Bill Essayli, interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, whose office brought the charges. '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,' according to Essayli. '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.' The assault charge against Ortega and Davila carries a maximum statutory sentence of eight years in federal prison, and conspiracy to interfere with a federal officer carries up to six. According to an affidavit seen byThe Independent, the incident occurred on July 8 after two ICE agents, conducting roving searches, confronted a truck carrying three men. The truck pulled into the surgery parking lot and two of the men fled when approached. One of the men, who was reported to be in the United States illegally from Honduras, was detained near the surgery entrance, but resisted arrest and escaped into the building with help from a member of staff, according to the complaint. Agents then came across Ortega and Davila inside the building, where the altercation was caught on camera. In the footage, Davila can be heard shouting 'let him go!' and 'get out!' at the officers. California has become an epicenter of controversial ICE activity as part of Donald Trump's anti-immigration agenda, sparking widespread protests that provoked forceful law enforcement responses and the deployment of National Guard service members and Marines. 'This arrest was not about law enforcement,' according to Synai Alas, the niece of one of the targeted immigrants, speaking at a press conference calling for his release. 'It was about silencing him. My uncle is being targeted and prosecuted, not because he broke any law, but because he has fearlessly stood up to defend constitutional rights.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Surgery center workers charged with blocking ICE from arresting immigrant who ran into their building
Two surgery workers in California have been charged with interfering with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation for allegedly blocking agents from detaining an immigrant who ran into a surgery center to escape. Disturbing footage showed a masked agent holding back a female member of staff by her neck as she tried to step in the way. The agent forcefully pulls the woman before another worker intervenes. Criminal charges have now been filed against Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, who are accused of assaulting and interfering with an ICE investigation, according to a federal criminal complaint. Ortega was arrested Friday morning and has since made his first court appearance, while law enforcement is still searching for Davila. The charges stem from an incident at the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center in San Bernardino County earlier this month. 'The media originally reported that the illegal alien was taken during a medical appointment. That was false,' according to Bill Essayli, interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, whose office brought the charges. '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,' according to Essayli. '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.' The assault charge against Ortega and Davila carries a maximum statutory sentence of eight years in federal prison, and conspiracy to interfere with a federal officer carries up to six. According to an affidavit seen by The Independent, the incident occurred on July 8 after two ICE agents, conducting roving searches, confronted a truck carrying three men. The truck pulled into the surgery parking lot and two of the men fled when approached. One of the men, who was reported to be in the United States illegally from Honduras, was detained near the surgery entrance, but resisted arrest and escaped into the building with help from a member of staff, according to the complaint. Agents then came across Ortega and Davila inside the building, where the altercation was caught on camera. In the footage, Davila can be heard shouting 'let him go!' and 'get out!' at the officers. deployment of National Guard service members and Marines. 'This arrest was not about law enforcement,' according to Synai Alas, the niece of one of the targeted immigrants, speaking at a press conference calling for his release. 'It was about silencing him. My uncle is being targeted and prosecuted, not because he broke any law, but because he has fearlessly stood up to defend constitutional rights.'
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
2 San Bernardino County medical center staffers charged with assaulting a federal officer
Two staff members at a San Bernardino County medical center have been charged with assaulting a federal officer and interfering with immigration enforcement duties, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced on Friday. The charges stem from a July 8 incident, when two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained a man inside the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center, and staff members at the center allegedly interfered. Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, was arrested Friday morning, and at his Riverside courthouse appearance later in the day, he was released on $10,000 bond. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, turned herself in on Friday. Ortega and Davila are charged with assaulting a federal officer and conspiracy to prevent by force and intimidation a federal officer from discharging their duties. United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a news release that the man detained 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 said. According to prosecutors, two ICE agents were conducting "roving immigration-related operations" in Ontario on July 8, wearing government-issued equipment, driving an unmarked government vehicle, as they were following a truck with three men inside. The truck allegedly made a "quick" turn into the surgery center's parking lot and, as officers approached the men, two of them ran off. The third man 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 U.S. Attorney's Office wrote in a news release. Prosecutors said a staff member at the center "helped pull him away from the officer," and the man went inside the center, where he "was pursued by the ICE officer, who eventually stopped him." Ortega and Davila allegedly continued to interfere with the man's arrest, Davila by wedging herself between the officer and the man, pushing the officer, and saying, "Let him go" and "Get out." Ortega allegedly grabbed the officer's arm and his vest. Legal advocates held a news conference on Friday afternoon to denounce Ortega's arrest. Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice Deputy Director Lizbeth Abeln said Ortega stood up for justice during the July 8 incident. "What we are seeing and witnessing are federal agents weaponizing their authority to target community members who speak out. It is shameful, it is unlawful, and it will not go unchallenged," she said. Ortega is scheduled to appear in court on August 19 for his arraignment. If convicted, the two would face a maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison on the assault count and up to six years in federal prison on the conspiracy count.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Surgery center workers who scuffled with ICE agents facing federal charges
Two California surgery center workers are facing federal charges after being accused of scuffling with ICE agents. The July 9 incident captured on video shows the two workers standing in the way of agents, as they tried to detain a man who ran into the surgical building. To identify the workers, federal agents staked out the Los Angeles-area SCA Health Ontario Advanced Surgery Center for three days following the July 8 confrontation, in which masked, plainclothes ICE agents chased a suspected illegal immigrant into the building. Federal officials on July 25 said Jose de Jesus Ortega and Danielle Davila have been charged with assaulting a federal officer and conspiracy to prevent by force and intimidation a federal officer from discharging his duties. Ortega was arrested on July 25, and authorities said they're still pursuing Davila. The video, which went viral, shows two surgery center workers in scrubs yelling and blocking one of the agents from detaining the man. Federal officials criticized what they said was a "false narrative" in the media and online that portrayed the detainee as a patient at the clinic. According to authorities, the ICE agents saw the truck stop outside the building, and when they approached the men, the men ran. According to court records, the agents had no specific knowledge that the man who ran into the clinic was living in the country illegally, and had been following the truck in which he was riding as part of a "roving patrol" in their unmarked vehicle. "The illegal alien arrested inside the surgery center was not a patient," United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. "He ran inside for cover and these defendants attempted to block his apprehension by assaulting our agents. 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." In a July 9 social media post, Homeland Security officials said the man who agents were chasing is Honduran national Denis Guillen-Solis. They said he was living illegally in the United States. "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," DHS said in the post. "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 video is among the latest examples of people delaying or obstructing ICE agents carrying out President Donald Trump's mass-immigration initiative, which has also sparked widespread protests. The identities of the two ICE agents involved in the surgery center detention were not released. Federal officials say ICE agents are increasingly being assaulted or targeted by community members, which requires them to remain anonymous. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Feds charge surgery center workers recorded in scuffle with ICE agents
