CHICAGO (AP) — Diana Santillana Galeano, a daycare center employee in Chicago, recently detained by immigration agents while children were being handed over to their caregivers, has been released from custody, according to her attorney.
On November 5, 2023, Galeano was taken by immigration officials at the Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center in Chicago. Videos of her detention showed conflicts between her and the agents. Reports confirmed that, on the evening of November 8, she was released from a detention center in Indiana.
Attorney Charlie Wysong expressed relief over her return to Chicago, stating, We are thrilled that Ms. Santillana was released and has been able to return home where she belongs. We will continue to pursue her immigration claims to stay in the United States. He also thanked the community for their overwhelming support during her ordeal.
Galeano's case exemplifies the aggressive tactics increasingly utilized during the Trump administration's immigration policies, although her detention took place under the auspices of what has been dubbed Operation Midway Blitz. This initiative has resulted in over 3,000 immigration arrests in the Chicago area since early September, with operations involving overwhelming force and drawn media attention.
“I am so grateful to everyone who has advocated on my behalf and on behalf of countless others who have faced such trauma in recent months in the Chicago area,” said Galeano. “I love our community and the children I teach and can’t wait to see them again.”
The Department of Homeland Security noted last week that Galeano entered the U.S. illegally in June 2023 but had since received work authorization under the current administration. They further clarified that the daycare was not the intended target of the enforcement action.
