Chicago City Wire

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly accused U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) of “deliberately misrepresenting the facts” after the congressman claimed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents took a preschool teacher “without a warrant” and “in front of children” at a daycare in his district.

In a post on X, DHS directly disputed Quigley’s account.

“Congressman, you are deliberately misrepresenting the facts,” DHS said on X.

The Department of Homeland Security says Rep. Mike Quigley “deliberately misrepresented the facts” after ICE agents detained a woman outside a Chicago-area daycare, following a chase that ended when she reportedly fled inside with another suspect. | X / Mike Quigley

The statement came in response to an earlier post from Quigley that drew widespread attention.

“ICE isn’t going after the worst of the worst. This morning, they took a preschool teacher without a warrant IN FRONT OF CHILDREN in my district,” Quigley wrote.

DHS disputed Quigley’s description of the incident, offering instead what it called a detailed timeline of a pursuit involving two people allegedly in the country illegally.

“ICE law enforcement did NOT target a daycare and were only at this location because the female illegal alien fled inside,” DHS said.

“Here is the real story:

‘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 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.’”

The conflicting accounts prompted criticism from Tommy Hanson, who ran against Quigley in 2024 and plans to challenge him again in 2026.

“Being a US Congressman/woman is a full time job which is something not to be careless about, rather a US Congressman/woman needs needs to take the time to make sure the public understands what is going on and not making trite, simple answers or statements that can be confusing,” Hanson told Chicago City Wire.

Hanson, a Republican business owner and Illinois native, was the GOP nominee for Illinois’ 5th Congressional District in 2024, losing to Quigley 69% to 31%.

“Everyone in America must respect and obey law enforcement. Running away from a cop and/or ICE is not a good thing. It leads to Probable Cause. That was her mistake, not ICE,” Hanson said.  

The exchange comes amid Operation Midway Blitz, an ICE-led enforcement campaign launched two months ago across the region. DHS reports the operation has resulted in about 3,000 arrests of individuals living in the country illegally, many with prior charges related to drug offenses, assault, theft and other crimes.

Quigley, a longtime critic of ICE, recently joined other Democratic members of Congress in signing a letter claiming the agency’s actions are creating “general fear” rather than focusing on violent offenders.

Hanson disagreed with Quigley's characterization. 

“This lady does not sound like the ‘worst of the worst’; while she will get DUE PROCESS, which means a full investigation; and her day in court,” Hanson said. “She may or may not have been arrested, if she did not flee the scene. In other words, if a person knows she or he is innocent, then there should be nothing to be afraid of.”

“This is what is wrong with America, Today. More people are veering away from God and taking the matters into their own hands. If you believe in God, a person must obey the law, not run. God will then take care of the rest!”

“DHS officials have maintained that Thursday’s arrest was a lawful enforcement action that only ended at the daycare because the suspects ‘recklessly’ fled there. The department said more details will be released once the investigation concludes.” 

Illinois’ 5th Congressional District, which Quigley has represented since 2009, spans parts of Cook and Lake counties and includes several Chicago suburbs.