A Democrat senator has fired a staffer accused of impersonating an immigration attorney to help facilitate a criminal illegal migrant’s release from custody.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday accused Edward York — then employed as a constituent outreach coordinator for Illinois Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth — of falsely claiming to be the lawyer of a 40-year-old illegal immigrant to federal officials in order to gain access to the individual and push for his release from custody. Duckworth on Monday confirmed that her office had no prior knowledge of the incident and has since terminated York’s employment, according to a letter obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“I am writing in response to your November 12, 2025 letter regarding interactions between an employee of my Senate Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in the St. Louis ICE Field Office,” Duckworth wrote to ICE acting director Todd Lyons.
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“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,” the Illinois senator continued. “My office has terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025.”
York entered an ICE facility in St. Louis, Ill., on Oct. 29 and inserted himself into an active immigration case involving 40-year-old Mexican national Jose Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval, according to Lyons. The Mexican national carries a lengthy rap sheet with U.S. authorities, having been deported four separate times and convicted of driving under the influence.
“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,” Lyons’ Wednesday letter stated to Duckworth. “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,” Lyons continued.
DHS released a video of the purported incident:
ICE was not able to confirm at the time if York was an attorney. The agency’s concerns over the matter escalated upon the discovery of a social media post from the Montgomery County Illinois Democrats’ Facebook page boasting about a staffer who entered an ICE field office with documents and a release order and appeared to celebrate misleading federal officials.
The acting ICE director demanded answers from Duckworth’s office by Nov. 17 — including whether York lied intentionally, whether other staff members were aware of his actions, and whether he misused his government position during the incident. Lyons said York’s behavior crossed a line that endangered officers and undermined federal procedures.
“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 said to Duckworth.
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