Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) revealed on Monday that her office had terminated a staffer who’d been accused of impersonating an attorney and pretending to represent previously deported illegal alien, Jose Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval, who was apprehended in Staunton, Illinois.
According to a report shared by Fox News National Correspondent Bill Melugin, the staffer embarked upon the charade while interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in an effort to get the illegal alien in question — who’d been deported four times and had a DUI conviction — out of federal custody.
“Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) notifies ICE she has fired a staffer who was accused by ICE of pretending to be the attorney of a previously deported illegal alien in an effort to free him from federal custody. Duckworth tells ICE in letter that she was not aware of, and didn’t authorize or direct the staffer’s conduct,” Melugin posted along with a photo of a letter Duckworth sent to acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.
BREAKING: Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) notifies ICE she has fired a staffer who was accused by ICE of pretending to be the attorney of a previously deported illegal alien in an effort to free him from federal custody. Duckworth tells ICE in letter that she was not aware of, and… pic.twitter.com/Bg0UFzy9x5
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) November 17, 2025
“Dear Acting Director Lyons,” Duckworth’s letter began. “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.”
“Upon reviewing the matter, I can confirm that neither I nor my leadership team was aware of, authorized or directed what your letter described as the employee’s conduct,” she continued. “My office has terminated the employment of said employee, effective November 17, 2025.”
The Department of Homeland Security went public with the accusation on November 12, as Duckworth noted, and shared some information about what the staffer had done.
“This @SenDuckworth 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. He accomplished this by falsifying an official Department of Homeland Security form. We look forward to a response from Senator Duckworth,” DHS posted.
This @SenDuckworth 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. He accomplished this by falsifying an official Department of Homeland… pic.twitter.com/R3ggCwolE6
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) November 12, 2025
The Daily Wire’s Jennie Taer followed up with additional information a short time later, adding, “DHS tells me that the Duckworth staffer was posing as a lawyer to get Jose Isemal Ayuzo Sandoval, who was deported four times before and has a DUI conviction. ‘On October 29, 2025, ICE arrested Ayuzo in Staunton, IL. He was transferred to ICE St. Louis for processing where a Duckworth staffer allegedly tried to remove him from ICE custody by claiming to be his attorney,'” she said.
DHS tells me that the Duckworth staffer was posing as a lawyer to get Jose Isemal Ayuzo Sandoval, who was deported four times before and has a DUI conviction.
“On October 29, 2025, ICE arrested Ayuzo in Staunton, IL. He was transferred to ICE St. Louis for processing where a… https://t.co/51MKTofg25 pic.twitter.com/IteUO0fBze
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) November 12, 2025
.png)
.png)
