A senior staffer for Texas Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar repeatedly lied and impersonated an attorney to gain unauthorized access to an I...
A senior staffer for Texas Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar repeatedly lied and impersonated an attorney to gain unauthorized access to an ICE detention facility on at least 11 separate occasions, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The staffer, Benito Torres, a senior caseworker in Escobar’s office, falsely claimed to be a licensed attorney or “accredited representative appearing before EOIR on immigration matters.”
Torres signed visitor logs stating he possessed a signed Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative) and used the deception to meet with detainees at the Camp East Montana ICE facility in Texas.
On January 30, Torres was caught passing a personal cellphone to multiple detainees, a clear violation of facility rules that prohibit personal phones and group meetings.
When confronted by the facility administrator, Torres admitted he was not an attorney and was visiting only as a private citizen. He falsely claimed the visits had been coordinated through Rep. Escobar’s office and ICE headquarters.
A full review of visitor logs revealed Torres had pulled the same stunt at least 11 times between September 26 and January 30.
Earlier this week, Todd M. Lyons, the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director at ICE, sent a formal letter to Rep. Escobar detailing the violations and permanently banning Torres from all ICE facilities nationwide.
“The available evidence demonstrates your staffer, a senior caseworker named Benito Torres, misrepresented himself as counsel for detainees in ICE custody, violated clear detention standards and security protocols prohibiting the use of cellphones inside ICE facilities, improperly met with multiple detainees, and falsely claimed to ICE personnel such use had been approved by the agency,” Lyons wrote in a letter to Rep. Escobar.
Lyons continued, “As a result of bringing a cell phone into the Camp East Montana facility, contrary to facility visitation policy, Mr. Torres’ misrepresentation that he is a licensed attorney to gain access to detainees, his improper meetings with groups of detainees, and his assertions to ICE personnel about the origins of his visit, Mr. Torres is hereby prohibited from accessing any ICE facility.”
The letter notes that these actions violated the 2025 National Detention Standards on facility security and control.
It also warns that introducing contraband, such as cellphones, or other violations, could lead to criminal prosecution.
ICE is now demanding written answers from Escobar, including whether Torres was acting on orders from her office and whether her staff will cooperate with any potential federal investigation.
Rep. Escobar’s office has pushed back, with the congresswoman calling the accusations “unfounded” and criticizing ICE’s record on transparency.
Today, accusations were made by ICE against one of my caseworkers — a dedicated public servant, Army veteran, and experienced member of my team. I have every reason to believe these allegations are unfounded.
It is worth noting that ICE has refused to respond to multiple…
— Rep. Veronica Escobar (@RepEscobar) March 19, 2026
In a post on X, Rep. Escobar wrote in full:
Today, accusations were made by ICE against one of my caseworkers — a dedicated public servant, Army veteran, and experienced member of my team. I have every reason to believe these allegations are unfounded.
It is worth noting that ICE has refused to respond to multiple letters I’ve sent about Camp East Montana regarding deaths, including a homicide; outbreaks of diseases including COVID-19, measles, and tuberculosis; waste, fraud, and abuse; a lack of legal representation or medical care; and so much more.
This administration has a history of engaging in intimidation tactics against Members of Congress as well as continuously attempting to obstruct our ability to provide oversight.
I stand proudly by the members of my team who have demonstrated nothing but dedication and integrity to serving our nation and our community.
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