A staffer for Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) is in hot water after being accused of posing as an attorney to gain access to illegal immigrants at a St. Louis, Missouri, facility. The allegation came from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which sent a letter to Duckworth today.
🚨 BREAKING: Staffer for Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth accused of posing as lawyer in attempt to free illegal immigrant from ICE custody https://t.co/IpWrolbDVX
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 12, 2025
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said a member of Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s office misrepresented himself as the attorney of a detained illegal immigrant to facilitate their release.
According to a letter sent Wednesday to Duckworth, D-Ill., 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 previously deported four times to Mexico and who had a DUI conviction.
The letter says the staffer entered an ICE facility in St. Louis, Illinois, on Oct. 29.
"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 staffer, identified as Edwin York, tried to secure the release of an illegal immigrant, according to Fox News.
Edwin York, Constituent Outreach Coordinator in Duckworth's office, allegedly entered an ICE facility on October 29 and demanded to speak to his client and facilitate his release.https://t.co/wtMEDzDcwD
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) November 12, 2025
York was allegedly caught on video signing forms at the office lobby.
UH-OH 🚨
— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) November 12, 2025
Misrepresenting yourself as an an immigration atty to gain an Illegals release is a crime
And that's exactly what someone working for (IL) Sen Tammy Duckworth just did
Here's her staffer in the video, signing the forms
No one's above the law, including Democrats pic.twitter.com/NIRoTdmXxz
Just five days ago, Duckworth sent an "urgent letter" to the Inspector General for DHS demanding an investigation into federal agents' "use of force" in Chicago. Earlier today, Townhall reported that the presence of ICE in the Windy City has led to a dramatic decrease in crime.
Fox News reported that York was able to meet with Ayuzo and get him to sign a G-28 form which "allows an attorney to represent a client on immigration matters, empowering them to receive official correspondence, communicate with government agencies on their behalf and more." The outlet also reported that four days later the Suarez Law Office in Collinsville, Illinois filed a G-28 electronically without Ayuzo's signature. DHS believes York may have used the law firm as cover, and ICE could not verify that York is an attorney.
Of course, this raises a slew of questions, and the investigation will likely turn up more information in the coming days.