A Daycare Disrupted: When ICE Came Knocking
In Chicago, a typical Wednesday morning turned chaotic when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers entered a Spanish immersion daycare to detain a worker. This event, which would have been rare before 2017, has become more common due to policy changes under President Donald Trump. The "sensitive locations" directive, which once protected places like schools and daycares from ICE enforcement, was revoked on his first day in office.
Incident Details
The incident occurred at Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Learning Center on Chicago’s North Side. Video footage shows two ICE agents aggressively detaining the worker inside the daycare shortly after it opened. The worker, who claimed to have papers, was pulled outside and pushed against a car while shouting. One agent then re-entered the building, causing further disruption.
Community and Political Response
Rep. Mike Quigley, a Democrat representing Illinois, criticized the agents for entering the school without a warrant and detaining the worker in front of her students. He described her as a trusted and loved member of the community with a work permit. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the action, stating that the worker and another individual were being pursued after a traffic stop. They claimed the worker attempted to barricade herself inside the daycare, endangering the children.
Alderman Matt Martin, who represents Chicago’s 47th Ward, described the video footage as chilling. He mentioned seeing parents and educators weeping and children crying, though thankfully too young to fully grasp the situation. Other teachers pleaded with the agents, stating the worker had a work permit and that they couldn't be inside the school. The agents reportedly entered multiple rooms while children were present, causing fear among the staff.
Aftermath and Community Impact
The school closed for the day following the incident. Parents and community members expressed their shock and trauma. Tara Goodarzi, a parent with a child at the center, described the scene as something no one would ever forget. Maria Guzman, another parent, highlighted that the daycare was chosen to expose children to Latin American culture and Spanish, emphasizing the diversity and experiences that founded the country.
Nationwide Implications
Nationwide, 1 in 5 child care workers are immigrants, most of them Latinas. In Chicago, it’s 1 in 4. Increased ICE enforcement has created significant fear among workers, with some stopping showing up to work for fear of getting caught in a raid. Many arrests this year have occurred in parking lots near child care centers or schools, with parents being detained on their way to drop off their kids.
Wendy Cervantes, the director of immigration and immigrant families at the Center for Law and Social Policy, noted that child care providers have protections under the Fourth Amendment. However, ICE’s aggressive tactics have made it difficult to advise providers on how to keep their staff and children safe. The fear is real, and the sense of security in these locations has been shaken.