Staffer For Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth Caught Posing as Lawyer to Free Illegal Alien From ICE Custody
A staff member from Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office allegedly signs official documents while falsely claiming to be the attorney representing an illegal immigrant (Credit: ICE)
The Department of Homeland Security is demanding answers after a staff member for Democrat Senator Tammy Duckworth was accused of posing as a lawyer to help secure the release of an illegal immigrant from federal custody in East St. Louis, Illinois.
According to a DHS letter obtained by Fox News, the staffer, Edward York, entered an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on October 29 and falsely claimed to be the attorney representing 40-year-old Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval — a Mexican national who has been deported four times and has a prior DUI conviction.
The letter, signed by ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, stated that York, who serves as a Constituent Outreach Coordinator in Duckworth’s office, “falsified an official Department of Homeland Security form” to gain access to the detainee. York reportedly told federal officers he was Ayuzo’s attorney and “demanded to speak with his client.”
Once inside, York met with Ayuzo Sandoval and obtained his signature on a G-28 form, which authorizes an attorney or accredited representative to act on a client’s behalf in immigration matters. DHS officials said York later attempted to submit a G-28 form that lacked Ayuzo’s signature.
The letter also referenced a separate submission from the Suarez Law Office in Collinsville, Illinois — filed electronically four days later — that included a G-28 form without the detainee’s signature. DHS investigators believe York may have worked with the law firm to conceal his actions.
“It appears as if Mr. York may have collaborated with the firm to cover his misrepresentation,” the DHS letter said.
The agency has requested a full explanation from Senator Duckworth’s office regarding York’s conduct and how he gained access to restricted federal facilities. The White House has not yet commented on the incident, though President Trump has previously emphasized stricter enforcement of immigration laws and accountability within government offices.
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