The violations by an individual over the period of several months came to light in a letter sent by the acting ICE director.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to Representative Veronica Escobar, informing her that one of her staff members had been entering ICE facilities illegally. The staffer, Benito Torres, falsely represented himself as an attorney, making numerous documented visits between September 2025 and January 2026. He claimed that he had a signed Form G-28, which is a Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative.
The letter stated that the Assistant Field Officer Director was informed by a Facility Administrator (FA) that an individual was passing out a phone to detainees. Once this individual was identified as Torres, the administrator spoke to Torres, who then admitted that he was not an attorney and was visiting as a private person. Visitation policies were reiterated to Torres at that time. Torres was then said to claim that his visit was coordinated through Escobar’s office with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), but could not provide a contact. ERO stated that no request was approved for Torres.
In the letter, Acting Director Lyons requested Representative Escobar’s written response, asking her to confirm if the staffer acted on her authority, and whether or not her office will submit to a potential federal investigation into the matter. These were just two of several queries.
In a statement, Congresswoman Escobar characterized Torres as a dedicated public servant, highlighted his status as a veteran, and said the allegations were unfounded.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Acting Director Lyons as he seeks to ensure the security of ICE facilities and the identity of those visiting detainees.
- For Representative Escobar to provide the needed information to ICE as the agency investigates the circumstances.
Sources: Department of Homeland Security, Fox News
