Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) confirmed on Monday that one of her staff members was fired after the Department of Homeland Security accused the Democrat staffer of falsely claiming to be the immigration lawyer for a criminal illegal immigrant and helping secure the illegal immigrant’s release from custody.
According to The Daily Caller, the Department of Homeland Security accused Edward York, a staff member who worked as a constituent outreach coordinator for Duckworth, of falsely claiming to be the immigration lawyer of a 40-year-old illegal immigrant in an effort to secure the illegal immigrant’s release from federal custody.
Sharing a video of the incident last week on X, formerly Twitter, the Department of Homeland Security said the staff member “allegedly claimed to be the lawyer of a 40-year-old illegal immigrant who had been deported to Mexico 4 times and had a DUI conviction, in order to seek his release from custody.” The department added that the staff member “accomplished this by falsifying an official Department of Homeland Security form.”
In a Monday letter obtained by The Daily Caller, the Democrat senator confirmed that the staff member accused by the Department of Homeland Security of aiding the 40-year-old illegal immigrant had been fired.
“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 in a letter to Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE.
“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,” Duckworth added. “My office has terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025.”
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According to The Daily Caller, Lyons sent a letter to Duckworth last Wednesday, informing the Democrat senator that York entered an ICE facility in St. Louis, Illinois, on October 29 and “in a discussion with a federal officer, claimed to be Mr. Ayuzo’s attorney.” Lyons told Duckworth that the Democrat staffer “demanded to speak with his ‘client'” and falsified an official Department of Homeland Security form.
The Daily Caller reported that Lyons pressed Duckworth’s office to provide answers by Monday regarding whether the Democrat staffer lied intentionally to federal officials, whether any other staff members were aware of York’s actions, and whether the Democrat staffer misused his position to aid the illegal immigrant.
“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 stated.
