In 2000, he returned to the screen in the low-budget film Punks, in which he plays Dante, which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. By 2001, Santiago was back on television, playing Miguel Acosta in the January 7 episode of Touched by an Angel, making a small appearance in the March 29 episode of Big Apple and as Chiggy Rios in Law & Order: Criminal Intent in the episode "The Faithful'.