CHICAGO — Diana Santillana Galeano, an employee at Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center, was detained by immigration agents on November 5 as children were being dropped off. Following a strong outpouring of community support, she has been released from a detention center in Indiana, her attorney confirmed.
We are thrilled that Ms. Santillana was released, and has been able to return home to Chicago where she belongs, attorney Charlie Wysong stated. He praised the community’s support during these challenging times and asked for privacy as Santillana recuperates from the ordeal.
Reflecting the Trump administration’s intense immigration enforcement, her case is notable, especially as her detention occurred in a day care setting, which raises questions about the nature and impact of such tactics. More than 3,000 immigration arrests have been reported in the Chicago area in a recent enforcement surge.
I am so grateful to everyone who has advocated on my behalf, and on behalf of the countless others who have experienced similar trauma over recent months in the Chicago area, Santillana said. I love our community and the children I teach, and I can’t wait to see them again. In response to her detention, the Department of Homeland Security clarified that while she entered the U.S. illegally in June 2023, she received work authorization under the Biden administration, disputing claims that the day care was specifically targeted.
