Jose Ortega and Danielle Davila were charged with assaulting federal officers and conspiracy to interfere after they stepped in during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest at the Ontario Advanced Surgical Center. Video from the incident shows the pair intervening as ICE agents attempted to detain landscaper Denis Guillen.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has since dropped the felony counts, reducing the charges to misdemeanors. Attorneys for Ortega and Davila said their clients could have accepted plea deals, but instead chose to fight the case before a jury.
"It is a political arrest. It's obvious," said Carlos Juarez, Ortega's attorney. "Our community, Latinos, have been targeted. It's a political ploy on the part of Washington."
Davila thanked supporters outside the Riverside Federal Courthouse after the decision. "It's been really incredible to feel all the support, and I truly appreciate it," she said. Ortega said the pair acted because they believed they were following workplace protocol.
"We were informed to ask for identification, warrants before letting any type of agents into our office," Ortega said.
Oliver Cleary, Davila's attorney, said his client looks forward to testifying. "In her words, she felt she did what was right," Cleary said.
Guillen, the man agents were trying to arrest, was taken to the Adelanto Detention Center and later chose to return voluntarily to Honduras.
Despite the legal fight ahead, Ortega and Davila said they would do it again.
"They did the right thing," Juarez said. "And if it was to happen again, they would do it again."