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In a startling incident on Chicago’s North Side, a day care worker was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the presence of young children, according to eyewitness accounts. The arrest took place on Wednesday morning at Rayito de Sol, located in the 2500-block of West Addison Street, within the North Center and Roscoe Village area.
The day care center remained closed following the event, which has sparked a wave of concern among parents and local officials. Witnesses reported that the ICE agents, who were visibly armed and wearing jackets identifying them, conducted the arrest as the school day was beginning.
Federal authorities have stated that the day care was not directly targeted, asserting that the detained worker was in the country illegally. However, this claim is contested by local officials, who argue that the worker has a valid work permit and a pending asylum case. They also allege that ICE agents entered the premises without a warrant.
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The arrest, which occurred around 7:15 a.m., was observed by parents, staff, and children at Rayito de Sol Early Learning Center. During the incident, the worker and others attempted to inform the agents of her legal documentation status.
At about 7:15 a.m., parents, staff and children at Rayito de Sol Early Learning Center witnessed the woman being detained as she and other told agents she had documentation.
“We are across from high school this is a day care there are so many children who come here everyday and for someone to take a preschool teacher who pour herself into these children is just not right,” parent Adam Gonzalez said.
DHS says agents tried to stop her in her car, but “the male driver refused to pull the vehicle over,” and “they ran into a daycare and attempted to barricade themselves inside.”
That account was disputed by local officials who say they’ve reviewed day care surveillance video.
Witnesses said the day care worker was chased inside the day care center. They said agents did not show a warrant nor look at her papers, despite the woman telling them she had documentation. She was then taken away.
“There is a sign at the door that says this is a business and a private place they illegally pushed their way into the building. There was not barricading, there was none of that,” parent Maria Guzman said.
Witness video reviewed by ABC7 showed the teacher being violently dragged from the building, as she tells agents in Spanish that she has papers.
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Parents said they are upset and angry and worried about where agents might go next if they will go inside a private day care facility where children were inside.
“You had agents with guns who were walking around the facility with teachers inside, with children inside, and so we are of course demanding that she be released immediately,” 47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin said. “We need this educator home her family needs that her students need that her colleagues need that we also need ice to stop terrorizing our community.”
Parents described the scene with the children, teachers and parents crying.
“Schools are supposed to be places of safety, of security and not places where we have to talk to our children about why their teacher is being abducted and screaming and running away from agents with guns and masks while she is trying to enter the school,” parent Tara Goodarzi said.
A statement from DHS explains agents did not target the day care center, but were instead trying to make a traffic stop when a man and woman fled into the day care. DHS contends the woman was undocumented from Colombia, and alleged that she paid people to bring her two teenage children into the country illegally.
The Department of Homeland Security statement read, “ICE law enforcement did NOT target a Daycare. Officers attempted to conduct a targeted traffic stop of this female illegal alien from Colombia. Officers attempted to pull over this vehicle, which was registered to a female illegal alien, with sirens and emergency lights, but the male driver refused to pull the vehicle over. Law enforcement pursued the vehicle before the assailant sped into a shopping plaza where he and the female passenger fled the vehicle. They ran into a daycare and attempted to barricade themselves inside the daycare-recklessly endangering the children inside. The illegal alien female was arrested inside a vestibule, not in the school. Upon arrest, she lied about her identity. The vehicle is registered to in her name, though she claims that she didn’t know the man who was driving her car and just picked him up from a bus stop. Facts including criminality and information on the male assailant are forthcoming and we will update the public with more information as soon as it becomes available.”
More parents and officials spoke later Wednesday about the incident.
U.S. Congresswoman Delia Ramirez says she has viewed video from inside the facility this morning and saw events play out differently.
“Didn’t just walk in chasing one individual they went into multiple rooms asking and looking for teachers while children were present. This is an agency that has gone rogue,” Rep. Ramirez said.
Several elected officials and parents from the day care are demanding the teacher be released.
U.S. Congressman Mike Quigley says the woman has a pending asylum case and had a valid work permit.
“Public trust and should send shivers down the spine of every parent,” Rep Quigley said.
Anger, outrage and a show of solidarity capped a day of high emotion on the North Side. Day care families were joined by community members in a rally in support of the teacher now in custody.
It’s unclear where that teacher is currently being held. DHS has made her name public, but ABC7 has not identified her because it’s unclear that she’s been charged.
