Senator Fires Staffer Over Impersonation Allegations
A staffer for Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) has been fired after allegedly impersonating a lawyer in a brazen attempt to spring a previously deported illegal immigrant from federal custody — a move the Department of Homeland Security says involved falsifying official documents.
The now-former aide, Edward York, served as a Constituent Outreach Coordinator for Duckworth's Senate office. According to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, York entered a DHS field office in St. Louis, Illinois, on October 29 and falsely claimed to be the legal representative for Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant with a DUI conviction and four prior deportations on his record.
Lyons laid out the details in a formal letter sent to Sen. Duckworth on November 12. According to ICE’s account, York not only lied about his identity as Sandoval’s attorney but also falsified an official DHS form — a serious offense that raises legal and ethical questions, especially given his position within a U.S. senator’s office.
“This staff member allegedly did so to gain access to the detainee and seek his release from custody,” the letter states.
The revelation sparked swift fallout. In a reply to DHS dated November 18, Duckworth distanced herself from the incident, writing, “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.”
She added that York’s employment was terminated effective immediately following an internal review of the matter. No criminal charges have been announced yet, but the implication of falsifying federal paperwork could escalate the case beyond a personnel matter.
For DHS, the incident is more than just a rogue staffer pushing ethical boundaries — it's a flashpoint in the broader national debate over immigration enforcement and the role of public officials in aiding or obstructing it. In his letter, Lyons pressed Duckworth not only for answers but for a shift in tone.
“It is my sincere hope,” Lyons wrote, “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.”
The case of Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval is emblematic of many thorny immigration enforcement narratives: an individual repeatedly deported, convicted of DUI, and still able to gain access to a major U.S. city — with apparent help from someone inside the federal government.
That a Senate staffer may have used the power of his position to mislead federal officers is, by any standard, a severe breach of trust. Whether York acted out of personal ideology, misjudged advocacy, or something else entirely remains to be seen, but the consequences are already cascading. His firing may contain the political damage for Duckworth, but the story is likely far from over.
