Armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered a Chicago daycare on Wednesday morning and detained an employee in front of staff and children, prompting condemnation from city officials and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement practices. The arrest took place at Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center during morning drop-off, a time when classrooms were filling with students and families.
The woman detained was identified as Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, a 33-year-old Colombian mother of two. According to witnesses, she was followed by ICE agents as she arrived at work shortly after 7 a.m. Video reviewed by local officials shows agents entering the facility and detaining her in the vestibule while she repeatedly yelled, "I have papers" in Spanish.
Chicago Alderman Matt Martin, who represents the 47th Ward, said the incident occurred while children and teachers were present throughout the building. "It's some of the most chilling video footage I have ever seen, certainly in my time in office," he said.
The Department of Homeland Security offered a sharply different account, stating that the agents were attempting to conduct a lawful traffic stop and that the individuals inside the vehicle fled into the daycare. The DHS statement read: "They ran into a daycare and attempted to barricade themselves inside the daycare, recklessly endangering the children inside."
However, local officials who reviewed footage say it contradicts that description. U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez said the video shows agents entering multiple rooms in the building. She said agents were "asking and looking for teachers whilst children were present." Another staff member was escorted to her locker to "prove she has papers."
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley said Santillana Galeano held a valid work permit and had an active asylum application, and that agents did not present a warrant when entering the facility. Rayito de Sol administrators confirmed she had cleared all required background checks and was employed legally as an infant caregiver.
The incident comes amid broader shifts in how immigration enforcement is carried out near schools and childcare facilities. Until recently, such locations were generally treated as "sensitive spaces" where enforcement operations were avoided. Community organizers and immigration attorneys say that unwritten protection has eroded, citing recent cases in Oregon and California involving arrests or attempted detentions near educational settings.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that one in five childcare workers nationwide are immigrants, many of them Latina women. In Chicago, that share is closer to one in four. Local providers say staff absences increased immediately after Wednesday's incident, with some workers expressing fear of returning to work.
By late afternoon, hundreds of parents, neighbors and advocates gathered in Northcenter Town Square to rally in response to the arrest. Children played nearby as demonstrators chanted, "No hate, no fear. Everyone is welcome here." The daycare remained closed for the remainder of the day while staff met with counselors and legal advisors.
