Two employees at a medical facility in Ontario, California are facing federal charges after allegedly assaulting Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during an attempted arrest earlier this month.
The incident occurred on July 8 when ICE agents tracked a vehicle carrying three individuals to the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center. One of the men, a Honduran national with no known ties to the clinic, ran inside the building to avoid apprehension. As agents pursued him, two staff members intervened.
According to federal authorities, one employee physically grabbed an agent’s vest and arm, while the other stood in the agent’s path and yelled for them to leave. Surveillance footage reportedly shows the pair attempting to lock the doors and block the agents from detaining the suspect. During the altercation, a call was placed to local law enforcement reporting what was described as a “kidnapping.”
The Department of Justice has charged both individuals with assaulting a federal officer and conspiring to obstruct law enforcement. One of the accused, a 38-year-old man, has been taken into custody and is expected to appear in federal court. The second suspect, a 33-year-old woman, remains at large.
If convicted, the defendants face up to eight years in prison for the assault charge and an additional six years for conspiracy. Federal officials stated that the arrested individual was not seeking medical care and had no connection to the clinic. Authorities emphasized that interfering with federal officers, regardless of the setting, will result in prosecution.