A staffer for Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., has been fired after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said he misrepresented himself as the attorney of a detained illegal immigrant to facilitate the man’s release.

Last week, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons told the Illinois Democrat that her staffer, Edward York, claimed he was legally representing Jose Ismeal Ayuzo Sandoval.

Sandoval, a 40-year-old illegal immigrant, had a DUI conviction and was previously deported four times to Mexico. 

According to ICE, the staffer made the claim to federal agents after entering an ICE facility in St. Louis, Illinois, on Oct. 29.

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“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 Nov. 12 letter from ICE 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.”

In a letter on Monday, Duckworth addressed Lyons and said that the staffer was fired.

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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 message read.

Duckworth then confirmed that her office “terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025.”

Lyons had given the senator a Monday deadline to provide answers about the staffer’s employment and whether he knowingly lied on government documents.

“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,” Lyons wrote on Nov. 12.

Fox News’ Michael Tobin, Leo Briceno and Kyle Schmidbauer contributed to this report.

SACRAMENTO — The U.S. Department of Justice sued California on Monday to block newly passed laws that prohibit law enforcement officials, including federal immigration agents, from wearing masks and that require them to identify themselves.

The laws, passed by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, came in the wake of the Trump administration’s immigration raids in California, when masked, unidentified federal officers jumped out of vehicles this summer as part of the president’s mass deportation program.

Atty. Gen. Pamela Bondi said the laws were unconsitutional and endanger federal officers.

“California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents,” Bondi said in a statement. “These laws cannot stand.”

The governor recently signed Senate Bill 627, which bans federal officers from wearing masks during enforcement duties, and Senate Bill 805, which requires federal officers without a uniform to visibly display their name or badge number during operations. Both measures were introduced as a response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids that are often conducted by masked agents in plainclothes and unmarked cars.

The lawsuit, which names the state of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta as defendants, asserts the laws are unconstitutional as only the federal government has the authority to control its agents and any requirements about their uniforms. It further argued that federal agents need to conceal their identities at times due to the nature of their work.

“Given the personal threats and violence that agents face, federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an extra layer of security,” the lawsuit states. “Denying federal agencies and officers that choice would chill federal law enforcement and deter applicants for law enforcement positions.”

Federal agents will not comply with either law, the lawsuit states.

“The Federal Government would be harmed if forced to comply with either Act, and also faces harm from the real threat of criminal liability for noncompliance,” the lawsuit states. “Accordingly, the challenged laws are invalid under the Supremacy Clause and their application to the Federal Government should be preliminarily and permanently enjoined.”

Newsom previously said it was unacceptable for “secret police” to grab people off the streets, and that the new laws were needed to help the public differentiate between imposters and legitimate federal law officers.

The governor, however, acknowledged the legislation could use more clarifications about safety gear and other exemptions. He directed lawmakers to work on a follow-up bill next year.

In a Monday statement, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who introduced SB 627, said the FBI recently warned that “secret police tactics” are undermining public safety.

“Despite what these would-be authoritarians claim, no one is above the law,” said Wiener. “We’ll see you in court.”

President Trump is calling on House Republicans to vote to release files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, insisting he has “nothing to hide” and accusing Democrats of using the case as a distraction from GOP accomplishments.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump urged House Republicans to vote in favor of releasing the documents, describing the controversy as a “Democrat hoax perpetrated by radical left lunatics.”

“As I said on Friday night aboard Air Force One to the Fake News Media, House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics in order to deflect from the Great Success of the Republican Party, including our recent Victory on the Democrat ‘Shutdown,’” Trump wrote.

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Trump pointed to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) previous release of thousands of pages of Epstein-related documents. 

He also noted that the agency is investigating possible ties between Epstein and “Democrat operatives” including former President Bill Clinton, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers.

“The House Oversight Committee can have whatever they are legally entitled to, I DON’T CARE!” Trump said.

He added, “All I do care about is that Republicans get BACK ON POINT, which is the Economy, ‘Affordability’ (where we are winning BIG!), our Victory on reducing Inflation from the highest level in History to practically nothing, bringing down prices for the American People, delivering Historic Tax Cuts, gaining Trillions of Dollars of Investment into America (A RECORD!), the rebuilding of our Military, securing our Border, deporting Criminal Illegal Aliens, ending Men in Women’s Sports, stopping Transgender for Everyone, and so much more!”

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Trump also argued that if the Democrats “had anything,” it would have surfaced prior to last year’s presidential election.

“Nobody cared about Jeffrey Epstein when he was alive and, if the Democrats had anything, they would have released it before our Landslide Election Victory,” Trump said. “Some ‘members’ of the Republican Party are being ‘used,’ and we can’t let that happen. Let’s start talking about the Republican Party’s Record Setting Achievements, and not fall into the Epstein ‘TRAP,’ which is actually a curse on the Democrats, not us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

AG BONDI ANNOUNCES DOJ INVESTIGATION INTO BILL CLINTON, OTHER DEMOCRATS OVER ALLEGED EPSTEIN TIES

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday the DOJ would probe prominent Democrats after new emails revealed ties to Epstein.

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In an X post Friday afternoon, Bondi said Jay Clayton, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, would take the lead on the investigation.

“Clayton is one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country,” Bondi wrote in the post. “As with all matters, the Department will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American people.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House, Bill Clinton, Reid Hoffman and Larry Summers for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.