Suspect in ICE arrest leads officers on chase, hides in Chicago daycare before apprehended: DHS

DHS clarified that the arrest of an illegal Colombian national, Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, took place in connection with a targeted enforcement operation and occurred in a vestibule, not inside the daycare.

According to DHS, Santillana Galeano, an illegal immigrant from Colombia, first entered the United States unlawfully on June 26, 2023, and was subsequently released into the country under the Biden administration’s border policies. Last month, officials say, she allegedly paid smugglers to bring her two children, ages 16 and 17, into the US illegally near El Paso, Texas.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents apprehended the minors upon entry, classifying them as Unaccompanied Alien Children (UACs). They were transferred to a shelter in the Chicago area, consistent with federal law governing unaccompanied minors.

DHS reports that ICE officers attempted to conduct a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle registered to Santillana Galeano. Despite law enforcement activating emergency lights and sirens, the male driver allegedly refused to pull over. The vehicle fled into a shopping plaza, where both occupants, Santillana Galeano and the male driver, abandoned the car and ran into a nearby daycare center.

Inside the building, the pair attempted to barricade themselves, an act DHS said was “recklessly endangered the children inside.” ICE officers arrested Santillana Galeano in a vestibule area, not inside any classroom or in the presence of children. The male suspect reportedly barricaded himself further inside the daycare; details on his identity and possible criminal charges remain under investigation.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that ICE was not targeting schools or daycare centers, calling the narrative a “false and dangerous distortion.”

“ICE law enforcement did NOT target a daycare. Officers attempted to stop a vehicle associated with a female illegal alien from Colombia. The individuals fled and attempted to hide in a daycare, recklessly putting children at risk,” McLaughlin stated.

McLaughlin further noted that the suspect lied about her identity during arrest and claimed not to know the male driver, despite the vehicle being registered in her name.

DHS condemned media reports suggesting ICE had conducted a raid or arrest inside a daycare facility, warning that such misinformation has contributed to an “8,000% increase in death threats against federal law enforcement officers.”

Local officials, including Congressman Mike Quigley, echoed the false claims on social media. The department reiterated that ICE did not target or arrest anyone inside a daycare center, that the arrest occurred in a vestibule, away from children, and that the operation focused on an identified illegal immigrant, not the daycare facility itself.

DHS reaffirmed that the current administration under President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem is prioritizing enforcement against criminal illegal aliens, noting that over 70 percent of ICE arrests involve individuals with pending charges or convictions.

The statement also criticized prior policy under the Biden administration for allowing individuals like Santillana Galeano to receive work authorization without legal immigration status, calling it a loophole that “facilitated unlawful entry.”