Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said Monday that she has fired a staffer who posed as an immigration lawyer to secure the release of his illegal immigrant “client” from custody.
In a letter obtained by Fox News, the Illinois Democrat told Todd Lyons, the acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, that “neither I, nor my leadership was aware of, authorized, or directed” the actions of Edward York, a constituent outreach coordinator in the senator’s office.
“My office has terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025,” Duckworth added.
Lyons alerted Duckworth to the alleged actions carried out by York, claiming he told federal agents he was the attorney of Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant who had been deported to Mexico four times and had a DUI conviction on his record. He was issued a final order of removal in 2023.
Sandoval, a father and restaurant owner, was taken into custody by ICE on Oct. 29 near Staunton Elementary School. The district’s superintendent said he walks his two children to school every day. Sandoval’s detention sparked protests in Macoupin County, Illinois, last month.
“He was transferred to ICE St. Louis for processing where a Duckworth staffer allegedly tried to remove him from ICE custody by claiming to be his attorney,” Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
York is captured on video entering an ICE facility in St. Louis 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,” the letter to Duckworth reads. “Mr. York demanded to speak with his ‘client.’”
“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 (DHS) form,” the letter continues.
At the facility, York purportedly met with Sandoval and secured a signature on a G-28 form, which allows an attorney to represent a client on immigration matters. A day later, the form was submitted without Sandoval’s signature, causing confusion.
ICE officials further became suspicious after they discovered a Facebook post, put up by the Montgomery County, Illinois, Democrats’ page, describing the incident. The post purportedly claimed that a staffer had gone into a field office with a pack of documents with a release order with the intention of misrepresenting himself to ICE agents. The Washington Examiner has been unable to verify this independently.
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ICE’s letter to Duckworth demanded a response by Monday and sought information on whether York knowingly lied on the documents and whether anyone else on Duckworth’s staff knew.
An email to Duckworth’s office from the Washington Examiner seeking comment was not returned.
