In the Chicago area, two recent immigration enforcement cases have left families and communities reeling, highlighting both the vulnerability of immigrants to scams and the contentious nature of federal detention practices. The stories of Roberto Davila, an asylum seeker from Peru, and Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, a day care worker from Chicago, have drawn attention to the complex, often perilous landscape navigated by immigrants and their advocates in the United States.
For the Davila family in Romeoville, Illinois, the ordeal began on October 19, 2025. According to ABC 7 Chicago, Roberto Davila was pulled over by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on his way home from buying groceries in Bolingbrook. His daughter, Delia Davila, recounted, “There was no warrant. There was nothing against my dad. So he asked them, 'Why are you taking me?' And one of them told him, 'Because it's the law.'” The Davilas, originally from Peru, are asylum seekers who are legally present in the U.S., which made the arrest all the more bewildering for the family.
In their desperation to secure Roberto’s release, the family turned to what they believed was a legitimate immigration attorney advertising on Facebook. As Delia explained, “This person said we could request a federal judge, a bond hearing, and if he's approved we'd have to pay a bond release.” The supposed legal assistant communicated with the family via WhatsApp, exchanging dozens of messages and requesting sensitive documents—including Roberto’s driver’s license, passport, social security number, and bank statements. The family was told that the process could be expedited because Delia’s younger brother, who is 15 and autistic, needed his father at home.
After making an initial payment of $850 through Zelle, the Davilas received what appeared to be an official Department of Homeland Security (DHS) form establishing legal representation. Things escalated quickly: just days later, the family was given a notice from the Justice Department with an online court date scheduled for October 31. Delia described the experience, saying, “She saw a person saying they were the federal judge. On the other side somebody saying they were the DHS representative and the lawyer that we hired.”
Twenty minutes into this online hearing, the family was told Roberto had been granted bond release—but only if they paid $6,800 within 24 hours, through the same supposed lawyer. It was only after sending the money that the Davilas realized they had fallen victim to a scam. The American Bar Association (ABA) later confirmed the documents provided were fraudulent and issued an alert warning others against direct solicitation through social media or WhatsApp, as well as requests for payment via mobile platforms. The ABA also clarified that it generally does not charge for legal services.
The emotional and financial toll on the Davilas has been severe. Still, they have not lost hope. “My prayers are with all the immigrant community and we know in the end we will see the light,” Delia said. The family has since set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Roberto’s actual legal defense and to warn others about similar scams. The ABA recommends seeking reputable legal assistance through organizations like the Immigration Advocates Network and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
While the Davilas struggled with the fallout from a scam, another family and community in Chicago faced a different kind of crisis. On November 5, 2025, Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano, a 38-year-old day care worker at Rayito de Sol, was detained by immigration agents in an incident that sparked outrage across the city. According to court documents cited by local media, Santillana Galeano was taken from the day care center on a Wednesday morning. One local official described the scene, saying she was “abducted in front of her students.”
The Department of Homeland Security asserted that Santillana Galeano had attempted to flee into the day care after an attempted traffic stop and had lied about her identity. However, her attorney, Charlie Wysong, pushed back forcefully, stating, “Diana Santillana Galeano remains in ICE custody and has been moved to the ICE facility in Clark County, Indiana. She was taken by federal agents from her workplace on the North Side of Chicago, Rayito de Sol Daycare Center, on Wednesday morning. Ms. Santillana has a work permit that allows her to work legally in the United States.”
According to the habeas corpus petition filed on November 6, Santillana Galeano entered the U.S. in March 2023 without inspection and was released by DHS “without bond or conditions.” She has since applied for asylum or withholding of removal and was granted a work permit valid through November 12, 2029. Her attorneys allege that DHS arrested her without a warrant, in violation of a consent decree requiring agents to have one when detaining certain individuals.
Currently, Santillana Galeano is held at an ICE facility in Clark County, Indiana. Her legal team is seeking a bond hearing and her release, with a federal hearing scheduled for November 13, 2025. The court records do not mention any claims by DHS that Santillana Galeano paid to have her teenage children smuggled into the country, a detail that has circulated in some reports.
The case has drawn comparisons to that of Ruben Torres, the father of a 16-year-old cancer patient, who was also detained at the same facility. Judge Jeremy C. Daniel recently ordered that Torres be granted a bond hearing, leading to his release from detention on October 30. Advocates hope for a similar outcome for Santillana Galeano, who is described by her attorney as “a beloved and respected member” of the Rayito de Sol community. “Our daycare centers and other schools must be safe places where our children are protected from harm,” Wysong emphasized.
Both cases underscore the precarious situation faced by immigrants in the U.S.—whether at risk of exploitation by scammers or at the mercy of aggressive enforcement actions. While the Davilas’ experience serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of fraudulent legal services, Santillana Galeano’s detention has reignited debate about the rights of immigrants, the role of consent decrees, and the sanctity of schools and day care centers as safe spaces.
As these families wait for justice and clarity, their stories have galvanized local communities and advocacy groups to demand greater oversight, transparency, and compassion in the immigration system. The coming weeks are likely to bring further developments, but for now, both the Davila and Santillana Galeano families remain emblematic of the challenges—and resilience—of immigrants in America today.
