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Chicago Daycare Teacher Held by ICE as Lawyers Seek Bond, Allege Warrantless Preschool Arrest

Attorneys challenge the detention as a consent decree violation, with a federal status hearing set Wednesday.

Overview

  • Attorney Charlie Wysong says Diana Santillana Galeano is detained at an ICE facility in Clark County, Indiana, and her team will seek a bond hearing next week.
  • A habeas corpus petition filed in federal court says she entered the U.S. in March 2023 without inspection, applied for asylum, holds work authorization through November 2029, and was arrested without a warrant.
  • DHS alleges she crossed the border illegally in 2023, paid a smuggler last month to bring her two teenage children to the U.S., and tried to barricade herself inside the daycare, endangering children.
  • Security footage and witness accounts show agents entered rooms inside Rayito de Sol where children were present, while school officials and parents say she had passed a background check and was authorized to work.
  • Parents and local leaders have rallied in support of the teacher, and a fundraising campaign for legal costs has drawn significant donations.