California Clinic Staff Arrested After Chaos Erupts During ICE Operation
What started as a routine immigration enforcement operation ended in handcuffs — not just for the illegal migrant being pursued, but for two medical staffers now facing federal charges after a stunning confrontation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The scene unfolded earlier this month at the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center in Southern California — and what followed has ignited a national firestorm about sanctuary policies, medical facility conduct, and the limits of activism.
But what exactly happened — and why are healthcare workers now being prosecuted?
Let’s break it down.
It All Started With a Fugitive on the Run
Federal agents were conducting a targeted ICE operation in Ontario, California, with the goal of apprehending two illegal immigrants. One of the individuals, Honduran national Denis Guillen-Solis, reportedly fled on foot when approached by agents wearing clearly marked ICE vests.
In a panic, Guillen-Solis ran inside the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center, despite having no ties to the clinic and not being a patient, according to federal officials.
It was a desperate move — but what happened next shocked even seasoned law enforcement.
The Mid-Hook: The Staff Didn’t Just Help — They Fought Back
Rather than notify security or local law enforcement, two clinic employees allegedly intervened, physically obstructing federal agents as they tried to arrest Guillen-Solis inside the building.
According to a statement by U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, both staffers — Jose De Jesus Ortega and Danielle Nadine Davila — actively assaulted federal officers, locked doors to block vehicles, and even called 911 to falsely claim there was a kidnapping.
“This story is another example of a false narrative peddled by irresponsible members of the media in furtherance of a political agenda,” Essayli said, pushing back against how the event was initially portrayed.
A federal complaint describes Davila physically placing herself between the agent and the suspect, putting her hands on the ICE officer. Ortega, meanwhile, allegedly helped drag the migrant inside the clinic while agents attempted to make the arrest.
Both are now facing serious federal charges, including:
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Forcibly assaulting and impeding a federal officer
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Conspiring to obstruct justice and interfere with law enforcement duties
Davila — listed on LinkedIn as a certified surgical technologist — was arrested hours after the incident. Ortega was taken into custody that morning.
A Clinic Becomes a Crime Scene
ICE later released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), detailing the operation:
“Officers in clearly marked ICE bulletproof vests approached the illegal alien targets as they exited a vehicle… One of them fled to the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center, where staff assaulted officers and dragged the illegal alien inside.”
Video footage from the scene shows clinic workers shouting at federal agents:
“This is private property!”
“Get your hands off him!”
But legal experts say “private property” offers no legal shield when it comes to harboring fugitives or interfering with law enforcement operations — especially when the individual being protected is in the country illegally and has a criminal history.
Political Blowback and Activist Spin
As expected, the incident drew swift condemnation from progressive lawmakers. California Assemblymember Michelle Rodriguez, a Democrat representing Ontario, criticized ICE and appeared to defend the clinic staff:
“This is not safety, not justice, and this is not who we should be,” she said.
“Immigration officers kidnapped constituents from a surgical center as they were doing their jobs.”
Critics were quick to respond, pointing out that the illegal migrant in question had no employment, medical appointment, or legal tie to the facility.
And the issue didn’t end in California.
Meanwhile in Denver…
On the same day news of the Ontario arrest broke, a separate ICE operation in Colorado was reportedly sabotaged by activists, allowing an illegal migrant wanted for child rape in Italy to escape.
According to ICE Colorado, agents were attempting to arrest Jose Reyes Leon-Deras, an El Salvadoran national with a conviction for child sexual assault abroad.
Activist group Colorado Rapid Response issued alerts warning the community that ICE was nearby — giving the suspect enough time to flee.
“They’re not just resisting enforcement,” one ICE official said. “They’re enabling criminals.”
Final Thoughts
The chaos in Ontario is more than just a local story — it’s a warning.
When political ideology overtakes legal responsibility, and when activism turns into obstruction, people get hurt, officers are put in danger, and the law is undermined.
In this case, two medical workers believed they were protecting someone — but ended up breaking federal law and facing years in prison.
And for the migrant they were shielding?
He was not a victim, not a patient — just another fugitive who slipped through the cracks of a broken system, aided by those who thought they knew better.
Now, the courts will decide how far “helping” can go before it becomes a federal crime.
