Source: Fox News
Summary
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released evidence that a staffer for Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, lied about being an attorney for detainees at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. The staffer, Benito Torres, allegedly misrepresented himself as a lawyer to gain access to the facility and smuggle in cell phones. ICE records show that Torres first misrepresented himself as a legal professional in September 2025. The most recent incident allegedly happened on January 30. Torres has been banned from ICE facilities.
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As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
Rep. Escobar’s staffer, Benito Torres, has been accused of lying about being an attorney to gain access to an ICE detention facility. He allegedly misrepresented himself repeatedly over several months, talking directly to detainees and even passing a phone around multiple detainees during a January 2026 visit. The DHS statement says that actions like Torres’ are meant to undermine ICE’s statutory mission to enforce immigration laws. The situation has led to a back-and-forth between Rep. Escobar and the DHS, with Escobar criticizing the facility and accusing the Trump administration of retaliatory tactics. The incident has also led to Torres being banned from ICE facilities.
It’s become a familiar pattern: a staffer is accused of misconduct, the representative defends them, and the DHS responds with evidence.
