The Department of Homeland Security says a staffer from Senator Tammy Duckworth’s office pretended to be a lawyer to free a four-time deported Mexican national from ICE custody, triggering a letter from ICE’s acting director demanding answers and warning against political interference in law enforcement.
The allegation is blunt and serious: the staffer, identified as Edward York, is accused of entering an ICE field office and claiming to be the detained man’s attorney to gain access and press for his release. This was not a routine constituent visit, according to the letter, and it comes with claims of falsified paperwork. If true, the episode crosses a legal line and raises questions about use of government position to undermine federal processes.
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The detained man, named in official correspondence, was deported from the U.S. four times and has a prior DUI on his record, making him exactly the sort of case federal immigration officers prioritize. ICE’s Acting Director Todd Lyons laid out the facts in a letter that demands Duckworth’s office explain whether York acted alone and whether he lied intentionally. The stakes go beyond politics; they touch on officer safety, proper procedure, and the integrity of immigration enforcement.
According to the same letter, York persuaded the detainee to sign a G-28, the form that authorizes an attorney to represent someone in immigration proceedings. That signature would normally let a representative receive notices and file on the client’s behalf, but the letter says a different, unsigned version of the form was later filed electronically. That discrepancy prompted further scrutiny of how the case was handled and who filed which documents.
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ICE officials also examined public posts and internal records that appear to show political pride over the incident, not concern for legal boundaries. A local Democrats’ social post allegedly celebrated a staffer delivering documents and a release order at an ICE office, which only deepened agency worries. That sort of gloating suggests this was more stunt than standard constituent advocacy, and it undercuts any claim that the intent was purely to help a constituent navigate the law.
Lyons did not mince words in his demand for answers. “At approximately 1:29 p.m., 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. Mr. York demanded to speak with his ‘client,’” the letter states. The exact wording matters because it portrays an intentional assertion of legal authority that York may not have held.
The letter continues with a stark finding. “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 Department of Homeland Security form,” the letter says. If those allegations are accurate, they are not trivial clerical errors. Falsifying federal forms to manipulate custody decisions is a serious breach and could invite criminal or administrative consequences.
Lyons also appealed to lawmakers at large to stop using immigration enforcement as political theater. “I implore all members of the U.S. 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, Fox News reported. “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.” The message is clear: advocacy has limits, and public officials must not obstruct enforcement.
The acting director requested a formal response by a set deadline, asking whether York misused his position and whether colleagues were aware of his actions. Accountability is the point the letter presses for, and that is appropriate. When elected officials or their staff cross legal lines to score political points, they should face scrutiny and, where warranted, consequences.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 06: Wounded combat veteran and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) addresses fellow veterans, active duty members of the military and their supporters during the Unite For Veterans, Unite for America Rally on the National Mall on June 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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