Immigration Agents Detain Daycare Employee Amid Child Drop-off in Chicago

Thu Nov 06 2025 02:23:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A recent incident at a Chicago daycare center highlights the aggressive tactics employed by immigration authorities, resulting in the detention of a worker as families dropped off their children.

On Wednesday, an employee of the Rayito de Sol Immersion Learning Center in Chicago was detained by ICE agents while parents dropped off their children. Witnesses reported that the employee attempted to escape into the building but was caught between doors. This action has drawn significant criticism from parents and community members, reflecting increasing immigration enforcement efforts during the Trump administration amid local discourse on their impacts.

CHICAGO (AP) — An employee of a Chicago daycare center was detained by immigration authorities at work as children were being dropped off, reflecting increasingly aggressive enforcement tactics. Witnesses stated that the employee ran from a vehicle into the Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center as officers entered the parking lot. Detained between two glass doors, she insisted she was a U.S. citizen.

This operation is a part of 'Operation Midway Blitz', which has led to over 3,000 immigration arrests in the Chicago area since September. Authorities used heavy-handed tactics, including deploying officers in full gear, to question staff early in the morning.

Parents voiced their anger and concern outside the daycare, where the sudden operation took place during peak drop-off times. Esmeralda Rosales, a concerned parent whose child was taught by the detained worker, expressed her distress, stating, They don’t deserve this; neither do the children. Chris Widen, another parent, described the scene as unsettling, witnessing the teacher forcibly removed in front of children.

While ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not commented on this particular incident, such actions have intensified debates around immigration policies within sanctuary cities like Chicago. The aggressive tactics employed have provoked community outrage and calls for change as residents reflect on the chilling effects of current enforcement on families.

Parents gathered en masse at the daycare in a show of support, some recording the incident to highlight the severity of such enforcement actions. Adam Gonzalez, who recorded the detainment, stated, The world needs to see what’s happening...that this is real. Meanwhile, Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol official, defended the administration's tactics amidst criticism, labeling his agents as 'sanctuary busters'.