A political firestorm ignited this week after the Department of Homeland Security accused a staffer for Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) of pretending to be a lawyer in what officials describe as a deceptive effort to spring a previously deported illegal immigrant from federal custody. The explosive allegation arrived in the form of a formal letter delivered to Duckworth’s office, raising serious questions about how far congressional aides are willing to go to intervene in immigration cases.
According to DHS, the controversy centers on Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval — a 40-year-old Mexican national who has reportedly been ejected from the country four times following a DUI conviction. Instead of allowing ICE officers to process the case as normal, DHS says one of Duckworth’s employees attempted to personally insert himself into the situation under false pretenses.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons outlined the chain of events in a letter addressed to the senator. He explained that the aide, identified as Edward York, allegedly walked into an ICE building in St. Louis, Illinois on October 29 claiming to be Sandoval’s lawyer. Lyons wrote that 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.’”
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