Sanctuary State Showdown: Medical Staffers vs. ICE

Two California medical staffers now face federal charges after allegedly assaulting ICE agents during a chaotic attempted arrest—raising new alarm about the lawless climate that flourished under leftist sanctuary policies and the ongoing battle over federal authority in our nation’s institutions.

At a Glance

• Two staffers at Ontario Advanced Surgical Center charged with assaulting ICE agents during a July 2025 arrest attempt
• One staffer, Jose de Jesus Ortega, in custody; the other, Danielle Nadine Davila, remains at large
• Incident spotlights mounting tension between federal immigration enforcement and California’s defiance of federal law
• Federal authorities vow prosecution for anyone interfering with law enforcement, no matter the location

Medical Staffers Charged in ICE Interference: Another Symptom of California’s Sanctuary State Chaos

Federal prosecutors have charged two staff members from Ontario Advanced Surgical Center with assaulting and impeding ICE officers in San Bernardino County. The suspects, Jose de Jesus Ortega and Danielle Nadine Davila, allegedly tried to block agents from arresting Honduran national Denis Guillen-Solis, who fled into their facility while being pursued as part of a lawful federal operation. Ortega was arrested July 26 and is headed to federal court, while Davila is still being sought by authorities. This is the kind of scenario that leaves law-abiding citizens shaking their heads—medical professionals, entrusted with our care, now charged with physically interfering in a federal arrest.

The event unfolded on July 8, 2025, when ICE agents in government-marked vests tracked Guillen-Solis, an undocumented Honduran national, into the Ontario facility. The agents, following procedures, attempted to apprehend him; that’s when the two staffers allegedly intervened physically, disrupting the federal operation. ICE officers managed to apprehend Guillen-Solis, but the incident sparked immediate media backlash, with California’s usual chorus of “advocates” lambasting the operation as an attack on “community trust.” For the rest of us, it’s a glaring example of where years of open defiance by blue-state politicians have led—a culture where some feel emboldened to block federal law enforcement right in the halls of a medical center.

Federal Law Versus Local Defiance: The Legal and Ethical Battleground

Federal law is clear: interfering with a federal officer is a serious crime, and prosecutors are treating it as such. Ortega and Davila face charges of assaulting a federal officer and conspiracy to impede law enforcement through force and intimidation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Attorney’s Office have stated unequivocally that sanctuary policies and local resistance will not shield anyone from prosecution. While some local officials continue to rail against ICE, warning of “harm to community trust,” federal authorities are making it plain that no one is above the law—not even medical staff in a state that has made a political sport out of opposing immigration enforcement.

California’s sanctuary state posture has long fueled friction between federal and local agencies. ICE operations in so-called “sensitive locations” like hospitals have become flashpoints, but the facts are not on the side of the activists: Guillen-Solis was neither a patient nor affiliated with the clinic—he was running from the law. For years, the left has tried to paint ICE as the villain, but the real question is why federal officers are being physically confronted by civilians in the course of doing their jobs. The answer lies in the culture of defiance fostered by prior administrations, giving rise to scenes like this one.

Bigger Picture: What This Means for Law, Order, and Medical Institutions

Short-term, the suspects face federal prison time. Long-term, the incident is a warning shot to every institution across California and beyond: interfering with law enforcement will not be tolerated. The Ontario Advanced Surgical Center is left to deal with the fallout—legal costs, staffing issues, and the public relations disaster of having employees charged with federal crimes. The local immigrant community is now even more rattled, and medical staff everywhere are left wondering where the line is between care and criminal interference. Let’s be clear: ethical obligations never trump the law, and the expectation that hospitals can become sanctuaries from lawful arrest is not only reckless, it’s dangerous.

Federal officials stress that their authority cannot be overridden by state-level political theater. If you physically attack a federal agent, you will be prosecuted—period. The growing trend of local resistance to federal immigration enforcement, especially in California, is not just a political spat; it’s a direct challenge to the rule of law and the safety of our communities. While some advocacy groups continue to demand more protections for illegal aliens in medical settings, the only real solution is restoring respect for federal law and common sense—values that, thankfully, are finally returning to the forefront with new leadership in Washington.

Expert Voices: Where Do We Go from Here?

Law enforcement and legal experts agree: federal authority must be upheld, and hospitals cannot become no-go zones for law enforcement. Medical ethics experts acknowledge the difficult position staffers can face, but no code of ethics permits physically obstructing federal agents. Academic commentary points to California’s long-standing political opposition to federal immigration enforcement as the root of these confrontations, but the law is clear. Federal officials and prosecutors have signaled that they are done tolerating interference, and the message is likely to resonate nationwide: sanctuary policies do not grant immunity from prosecution. This case will set the tone for future confrontations and may finally force a reckoning on the limits of local resistance to federal law.

Ultimately, the outcome should send a message—no more excuses, no more sanctuary games. The law is the law, and it’s high time we return to enforcing it. That’s how you restore order, protect American sovereignty, and end the era of leftist chaos that put our communities at risk in the first place.