In Lincoln Square, a routine school pickup turned into a lifeline after federal immigration officers detained a Chicago father this week. Parents and volunteers at Chappell Elementary quickly organized meals, diapers, rides, and other support for the man’s partner and three kids — including a newborn and a 5-year-old in the school’s autistic preschool program — while staff work to keep classroom services steady.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Brayan Plata was detained by federal immigration officers in Skokie on Nov. 6 while working as a landscaper. The Tribune reports Plata and his partner, Ingrid Guanume, are Colombians seeking asylum who arrived in Chicago in 2018, and that the family lives in Albany Park. The Tribune also noted a DHS online locator lists Plata (spelled “Bryan” there) as being held in Michigan, and that a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson did not return a request for comment.
Parents turn pickup into a rapid response
In October, neighbors in Lincoln Square set up parent-led safety perimeters at dismissal — handing out whistles and information sheets to alert families if agents were nearby — an approach local reporters documented. WTTW reported on those pick-up line actions, and data show attendance has dipped in immigrant neighborhoods during the recent enforcement surge, straining schools, Chalkbeat found.
At Chappell, PTO leaders Audra Wunder and Erin Tobes launched immediate support — a GoFundMe plus drives for groceries, diapers, and wipes — while sharing information with other families, the Tribune reported. Margot Taylor, a case manager at the school, told the paper the autistic preschooler had made “great gains” and had started spending time in general education; educators worry the detention could interrupt the child’s Individualized Education Program and progress. Tobes told the paper the arrests “feel like a kidnapping” and are “inhumane,” while Wunder called the community response “heartwarming.”
Enforcement wave adds pressure
The arrest comes amid a broader federal campaign known as Operation Midway Blitz, a wave of immigration enforcement that began in September and has prompted raids and protests across Chicago and nearby suburbs, according to The Washington Post. Local advocates say the campaign has turned everyday routines — from grocery runs to school drop-offs — into risks for immigrant families, complicating educators’ efforts to maintain special-education services…