A member of Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s, D-Ill., office misrepresented himself as the lawyer of a detained illegal immigrant in order to facilitate his release, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Wednesday.
The New York Post reported that according to a letter sent to Duckworth, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons said the staffer told federal agents he was the attorney of Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval — a 40-year-old illegal immigrant already deported four times to Mexico and who has a DUI conviction.
The letter explained that on Oct. 29 at an ICE facility in St. Louis, “an individual identified as Edward York, who according to publicly available information, is employed as a constituent outreach coordinator for your Senate office, entered the field office lobby, and in a discussion with a federal officer, claimed to be Mr. Ayuzo’s attorney” and demanded to speak with “his” client.
The letter continued that “this staff member allegedly did so to gain access to the detainee and seek his release from custody, and he accomplished it by falsifying an official DHS form.”
While at the facility, York met with Ayuzo and got him to sign a G-28 form, the letter said. This document permits an attorney to represent a client on immigration matters, empowering them to receive official correspondence, communicate with government agencies on their behalf and more.
After attaining a release order, the staffer then attempted to submit the form without Sandoval’s signature, even after having completed the G-28 form in person, the letter said.
The letter then stated that “four days later, a Suarez Law Office in Collinsville, Illinois filed a G-28 electronically that did not have Mr. Ayuzo’s signature, even though Mr. York, who claimed to work for the law firm, had already obtained a signed form,” which makes “it appear as if Mr. York may have collaborated with the firm to cover his misrepresentation.”
The letter requests a response from Duckworth’s office no later than Nov. 17, demanding answers concerning York’s employment, whether he knowingly lied on government documents and whether he acted with the knowledge of other members of Duckworth’s staff, the New York Post reported.
“I implore all members of the US House of Representatives and Senate, as well as their staff, to stop the political games that put law enforcement and detainees at risk,” Lyons wrote. “It is my sincere hope that you will advocate on behalf of your constituents who have been victimized by illegal alien crime and work with DHS to remove these criminals from the United States.”
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
