ICE Arrest at Chicago Preschool Sparks Outrage and Fear Among Parents

Immigration officers arrested a preschool teacher early Wednesday morning after chasing her into the grounds of a private Spanish immersion preschool in Chicago’s North Side, startling parents and young children who witnessed the scene unfold.

According to local officials and witnesses, the arrest occurred around 7 a.m. at Rayito de Sol, a bilingual day care and preschool. Several parents waiting to drop off their children said they saw armed officers wearing black vests marked “POLICE ICE” pursue the woman through the front entrance and into the lobby.

Witnesses and staff described a scene of panic — many initially believed the school was under attack. Teachers and parents rushed children into classrooms or cars outside for safety as the officers apprehended the teacher, who shouted, “Tengo papeles!” — “I have papers!” — while being dragged outside.

First Arrest of Its Kind Under Trump’s New Immigration Policies

The incident appears to be one of the first known cases of immigration agents entering school grounds during Donald Trump’s second term. Under both the Obama and Biden administrations, schools, hospitals, and churches were designated as “sensitive locations,” where immigration enforcement actions were heavily restricted.

That policy was rescinded in January by the Trump administration, allowing agents to conduct arrests in those locations. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated it does not intend to “raid or target” schools, the Chicago arrest suggests a shift in enforcement activity.

DHS Disputes Details as Video Contradicts Agency Statement

A DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, claimed the woman was not arrested inside the school but rather in “a vestibule” — an area open to the public before the main security doors. However, video footage shows officers in both the entry lobby and deeper inside the building.

Under federal law, immigration officers can enter publicly accessible areas without a warrant, but private spaces that carry a “reasonable expectation of privacy” — like classrooms — typically require one.

“If they can do this at a day care where children are, where will they not go?” asked Chicago Alderman Matt Martin, who represents the neighborhood where Rayito de Sol is located.

Details of the Pursuit and Arrest

Witnesses reported seeing a dark SUV following the teacher’s vehicle as she traveled to work. DHS said agents attempted to pull over the car using lights and sirens, but the driver did not stop. According to the agency, the driver “sped into a shopping plaza,” where both occupants fled and ran into the preschool.

McLaughlin said the woman gave a false name when arrested. Authorities later identified her as Diana Santillana Galeano, a Colombian national who entered the United States in 2023 and allegedly paid smugglers last month to bring her two teenage children across the Texas border.

School, Parents, and Officials Condemn the Operation

Alderman Martin said school administrators presented the teacher’s employment records — including a valid work permit — but ICE officers detained her anyway.

“She’s a wonderful person, a mother, an excellent community member, and a treasured part of the Rayito family,” said Tara Goodarzi, an attorney and parent at the school. “We have no idea why she was targeted.”

Martin added that one armed officer remained inside after the arrest, moving room to room and questioning adults without showing a warrant. One teacher told The Post she hid with a 3-year-old student in a colleague’s car for more than 30 minutes.

Goodarzi described arriving shortly after the incident:

“I walked into a room of crying kids, crying parents, and crying teachers. It was traumatizing.”

Lawmakers and School Leaders Respond

In a message to parents later that day, Rayito de Sol administrators confirmed that ICE agents had “entered the location despite signage indicating it is a private business, and without presenting a judicial warrant.”

“No child should ever be terrorized in their school,” said Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), calling the event “a violation of public trust.”

Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) said she is working with the preschool to release surveillance footage contradicting DHS’s account. She said the video she viewed shows agents entering multiple classrooms as adults and children ran for cover.

“They lie,” Ramirez said. “They’re lying here.”

A School Known for Community and Care

Rayito de Sol serves children between four months and six years old and sits across from one of Chicago’s top high schools in a relatively affluent neighborhood. The 14-classroom center is staffed largely by teachers from Central and South America, whom parents describe as highly qualified and nurturing.

Parents say the school feels like family — a place where teachers know every child by name and parents regularly participate in events.

“It just shows how barbaric this was,” said parent Jennifer Bradley. “This isn’t about crime or safety. To follow someone from home into a preschool — it’s heartbreaking.”

In October, amid rising anxiety about enforcement, the school had reassured families that all staff held proper work authorization and passed criminal background checks. Administrators said they believed that would “reduce the likelihood of immigration authorities coming to any of our centers.”

Wednesday’s arrest shattered that sense of security.