EXCLUSIVE: 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.
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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.
"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."
While at the facility, York successfully met with Ayuzo and got him to sign a G-28 form, the letter said. It 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.
After attaining a release order, the staffer then tried to submit the form without Sandoval's signature, even after having completed the G-28 form in person, the letter said.
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"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," the letter describes.
"It appears as if Mr. York may have collaborated with the firm to cover his misrepresentation."
ICE said it could not verify that York was an attorney.
The agency further became suspicious of the picture when they discovered a post to Facebook describing the incident. The post, put up by the Montgomery County Illinois Democrats' page, described that a staffer had gone to a field office with a packet of documents and a release order with the intention of misrepresenting himself to law enforcement, the letter said.
Lyons' letter requests a response from Duckworth's office no later than Nov. 17, demanding answers surrounding York's employment, whether he knowingly lied on government documents, and whether he acted with the knowledge of other members of Duckworth's staff.
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"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.
"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."
Duckworth's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
