ICE agents are under scrutiny after detaining a Honduran man inside a California surgical clinic without presenting identification or a warrant, despite repeated requests from clinic staff, according to the man's attorney.
On July 8, 30-year-old Denis Guillen-Solis fled into the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center while allegedly being pursued by ICE agents in tactical gear, according to KTLA. Solis, a landscaper working nearby, sought refuge in the clinic after officers began chasing him without identifying themselves, according to Javier Hernandez of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.
A tense confrontation followed, captured on video, in which clinic employees in scrubs demanded agents provide a warrant and remove their hands from Solis. The agents, whose faces were covered, reportedly ignored those requests and attempted to physically remove the man as he clung to a doorway inside the clinic, sobbing.
Following Tuesday's incident, the Department of Homeland Security defended the operation, stating Solis and another man were "illegal alien targets" who had fled upon approach. DHS alleged that clinic staff "assaulted" officers and interfered with the arrest by locking doors and blocking ICE vehicles.
Advocates on the ground strongly disputed those claims, saying staff were trying to protect their patient and themselves from unidentified intruders. Solis is now in custody at a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles. His family has launched a fundraiser to cover legal expenses.
Originally published on Latin Times
