Chicago Daycare Raid Sparks Trauma and Fear Among Parents, Children
The scene at the Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center in Chicago's Roscoe Village neighborhood was one of chaos when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents descended upon the school on a Wednesday morning. The day started normally for Adam Gonzalez as he dropped off his 17-month-old son, but his calm demeanor quickly turned to worry as he noticed unfamiliar cars with men in black body armor outside the school.
As Gonzalez watched, the ICE agents dragged teacher Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano out of the school with her arms behind her back, shouting "I have papers" in an attempt to assert her rights. The scene was captured on video, and Gonzalez, who had been documenting the incident, described it as "beyond traumatic." The teacher's words and the agents' actions sent shockwaves through the community, leaving parents and children feeling scared and unsure of what was happening.
The incident is part of a broader trend of ICE raids across the country, with agents increasingly using aggressive tactics to apprehend individuals who are undocumented. These enforcement tactics have been widely criticized for their impact on families and communities, particularly among Latino populations.
Gonzalez described the scene as "a gut punch" that took away the sense of safety and community at the school. The event has left many parents in the Chicago area fearful about sending their children to daycare or school, with some families even returning to their home countries rather than face the uncertainty.
"I've lost several families due to not feeling safe with ICE in the area," said Alice Dreyden, a Head Start worker who witnessed firsthand how fear is affecting young children. "Kids pick up on all of that and it's damaging developmentally."
According to Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a psychologist based in California, early childhood is an especially formative period in life, and exposure to hostile or fear-inducing events can have profound effects.
"When a violent event occurs in school or other 'safe' setting, the child comes to equate that once-safe space with being a source of fear, anxiety, and instability," Manly said. "When a child's teacher is taken away, the child can feel abandoned, scared, and unsafe."
The incident at Rayito de Sol has sparked widespread outrage and calls for action, with many advocates and community members demanding an end to ICE raids in schools and communities.
As one parent put it, "Do I go to work so I can feed my child, or do I stay at home and know I'm safe? Or do I send my child to school that day and worry ICE will be outside the school?" The trauma and fear inflicted by ICE agents on families like Gonzalez's is a stark reminder of the need for greater protections and support for vulnerable communities.
The scene at the Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center in Chicago's Roscoe Village neighborhood was one of chaos when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents descended upon the school on a Wednesday morning. The day started normally for Adam Gonzalez as he dropped off his 17-month-old son, but his calm demeanor quickly turned to worry as he noticed unfamiliar cars with men in black body armor outside the school.
As Gonzalez watched, the ICE agents dragged teacher Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano out of the school with her arms behind her back, shouting "I have papers" in an attempt to assert her rights. The scene was captured on video, and Gonzalez, who had been documenting the incident, described it as "beyond traumatic." The teacher's words and the agents' actions sent shockwaves through the community, leaving parents and children feeling scared and unsure of what was happening.
The incident is part of a broader trend of ICE raids across the country, with agents increasingly using aggressive tactics to apprehend individuals who are undocumented. These enforcement tactics have been widely criticized for their impact on families and communities, particularly among Latino populations.
Gonzalez described the scene as "a gut punch" that took away the sense of safety and community at the school. The event has left many parents in the Chicago area fearful about sending their children to daycare or school, with some families even returning to their home countries rather than face the uncertainty.
"I've lost several families due to not feeling safe with ICE in the area," said Alice Dreyden, a Head Start worker who witnessed firsthand how fear is affecting young children. "Kids pick up on all of that and it's damaging developmentally."
According to Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a psychologist based in California, early childhood is an especially formative period in life, and exposure to hostile or fear-inducing events can have profound effects.
"When a violent event occurs in school or other 'safe' setting, the child comes to equate that once-safe space with being a source of fear, anxiety, and instability," Manly said. "When a child's teacher is taken away, the child can feel abandoned, scared, and unsafe."
The incident at Rayito de Sol has sparked widespread outrage and calls for action, with many advocates and community members demanding an end to ICE raids in schools and communities.
As one parent put it, "Do I go to work so I can feed my child, or do I stay at home and know I'm safe? Or do I send my child to school that day and worry ICE will be outside the school?" The trauma and fear inflicted by ICE agents on families like Gonzalez's is a stark reminder of the need for greater protections and support for vulnerable communities.
... parents are gonna freak out no matter what, it's not like they're gonna send their kids to school with an ICE agent walking around every day 
. I get why people are scared, but a few raids don't mean the end of the world. And what's with all these kids being "traumatized" 
... 17 months old? That's not even a real word, fam 
. I'm not saying it's easy to see your kid get taken away from you, but parents need to take responsibility too 
.
They just want to deport people who aren't even doing anything wrong. The law is the law, folks 
. If someone's undocumented, they should be aware of that when they move to this country. Can't blame ICE for enforcing it 
, but we can't just let people walk all over us and expect everyone to get a participation trophy 
. We need to toughen up and stop whining about everything 
. Like, what's next? Sending in ninjas to steal toys from toddlers? This daycare raid was just a bad idea, period. These agents need to understand that their aggressive tactics are more likely to traumatize kids than actually catch anyone. I mean, who tries to assert rights while being dragged away in handcuffs? 
The fact that people are losing sleep over this is ridiculous. Can't we just focus on educating our little ones and letting them grow up without fear of deportation? 
this is so scary i dont no how parents r supposed to feel safe anymore 
daycare centers are supposed to be safe spaces for kids, but now they're also places where immigration agents could show up at any time 
its not fair to the families who r already struggling to make ends meet. children shouldnt have to witness this kind of trauma it's having a huge impact on their development and their ability to trust adults 
we need to do something about this ASAP, like passing laws that protect these centers and the people who work in them 
This is bloody mental! 
Children are already scared enough, let alone when they see their teachers being dragged away in black suits. What's next, ICE at grandma's house or something?! 
It's just so unfair and unnecessary. These families are just trying to make a living and raise their kids, not cause any trouble. And what about the trauma it causes? I mean, my little nephew went to daycare last week and now he won't even want to go because of all this drama 
. It's like, can't we just coexist peacefully for once?! 
. I mean, who wants to feel like their safe space is being taken away from them? 
. Parents should be able to send their kids to school without worrying about ICE showing up at their doorstep 
The psychological impact on these kids and families can't be ignored... trust me, I've seen friends go through this stuff 
.
. Those teachers are just trying to provide a safe space for the kids, not pose a threat to national security. We need more support and protections for families like Adam's, not more fear and trauma 
.
or school picnics 
?! it's like they're intentionally trying to traumatize families & communities... 
what's being done to protect these families?! 
.
this is so messed up, a daycare raid is already scary enough, but when it happens to a school with spanish immersion, it's just devastating. i feel for adam and his son, who just wanted to drop off his little one and go about the day. what if they had been in a different situation? what if his son was still little? 
it's like they're targeting these communities for no reason other than to make them suffer 
.
people should feel safe sending their kids to daycare or school without fearing for their safety, especially when it comes to teachers being taken away by ICE agents in a public place like a school 
It's not right. We need better laws in place that protect our schools and communities from these kinds of raids. And let's be real, this is a huge blow to the Latino community who are already struggling with so many systemic issues. 
. As a parent myself, I wouldn't want my child to go through something like that. It makes me wonder if we're doing enough to support these families and keep them safe 
. no child deserves to be scared because of their parents' immigration status 
.