Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., fired a staff member after Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused him of posing as an attorney in an attempt to intervene in the detention of an illegal alien.
Mediaite reported that the staffer, Edward York, was accused of trying to secure the release of 40-year-old Jose Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval from ICE custody by presenting himself as an immigration lawyer.
Duckworth informed acting ICE Director Todd Lyons of the firing in a letter sent Monday.
She wrote, "I am writing in response to your November 12, 2025, letter regarding interactions between an employee of my Senate Office and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the St. Louis ICE Field Office. Upon reviewing the matter, I can confirm that neither I nor my leadership team was aware of authorized or directed what your letter describes as the employee's conduct. My office has terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025."
Lyons described the allegations in his earlier letter, stating that on Oct. 29, York entered the lobby of the St. Louis ICE Field Office, claimed to be Ayuzo's attorney, and demanded to speak with his "client."
Lyons wrote that the staffer allegedly used a falsified Department of Homeland Security form to gain access to Ayuzo and seek his release.
The letter also said York met with Ayuzo and obtained his signature on a G-28 form, which is used to authorize legal representation in immigration cases.
According to the letter, a Suarez Law Office in Collinsville, Illinois, filed a G-28 electronically four days later, which did not contain Ayuzo's signature, even though York had already obtained a signed form while claiming to work for the firm.
ICE has not said whether York will face criminal charges.
A person who pretends to be an attorney to influence the custody or release of an ICE detainee may face allegations of unauthorized legal practice, misrepresentation, fraud, or submitting legal documents without proper authority.
The specific charges depend on what claims were made, what actions were taken, and whether the person tried to obtain a benefit or influence a federal process.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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