On the morning of November 5, 2025, Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, a beloved teacher at Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Daycare in Chicago, was violently arrested by federal immigration agents—right outside her workplace, in front of children and coworkers. Video footage shows her screaming “I have papers” in Spanish as she’s dragged out by ICE officers. She had a valid work permit. Yet that didn’t stop armed agents from storming a day care.

Miss Diana is more than just a teacher—she’s a trusted caregiver, a mother, and an integral part of her school community. Parents describe her as nurturing, deeply committed, and always going the extra mile for her students. Now she sits in detention, separated from her children, and vilified by authorities who claim she endangered children—when, in fact, it was armed agents who burst into a day care and terrified everyone inside.

Even more troubling, the Department of Homeland Security has attempted to criminalize her for trying to reunite with her teenage children. Accusations of “smuggling” them into the country distort the truth: she’s a mother trying to be with her kids. As immigration advocates have stated, this is a common and lawful process for parents seeking reunification with unaccompanied minors through government channels.

Federal agents entered the school without a warrant. They did not present proper documentation. They tore a teacher from a classroom and shattered a safe space for children. This is not how a lawful, humane system functions. This is an abuse of power.

We call on Secretary Kristi Noem and the Department of Homeland Security to immediately release Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano and drop all immigration charges related to her efforts to reunite with her children. We also call on Illinois Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to take urgent action to prevent further ICE raids in schools and early learning centers.

Photo: Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune