Two California Surgery Staff Charged Assaulting ICE Officers in San Bernardino

Two staff members at the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center in Southern California, Jose de Jesus Ortega and Danielle Nadine Davila, have been federally charged with assaulting and obstructing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a targeted immigration enforcement operation. On July 8, 2025, ICE agents were pursuing three men in a truck when one, a Honduran national unlawfully present in the U.S., fled on foot and sought cover inside the surgery center. Ortega and Davila allegedly interfered with the arrest by assaulting the officers and obstructing their duties, drawing criticism from federal officials who emphasized that the detained individual was not a patient and condemned the interference. Ortega was arrested and released on bond, while Davila remains at large. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli and DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin highlighted that assaulting or obstructing federal agents will result in criminal charges regardless of the perpetrator's identity or workplace. If convicted, Ortega and Davila face up to eight years in prison for assault and six years for conspiracy to impede a federal officer.