{"id":21977,"date":"2026-03-19T21:12:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T21:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/dem-staffer-accused-of-faking-identity-at-ice-facility\/"},"modified":"2026-03-19T21:12:19","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T21:12:19","slug":"dem-staffer-accused-of-faking-identity-at-ice-facility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2026\/03\/19\/dem-staffer-accused-of-faking-identity-at-ice-facility\/","title":{"rendered":"Dem Staffer Accused Of Faking Identity At ICE Facility"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A staffer for Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) allegedly pretended to be a lawyer in order to enter an ICE detention center and hand cell phones to detainees, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Thursday.<\/p>\n

Benito Torres \u201crepeatedly falsely claimed to be an attorney representing detainees \u2014 even signing federal paperwork attesting that he was legal counsel for specific individuals\u201d\u00a0at the Camp East Montana facility at Fort Bliss in El Paso, DHS claimed. Torres \u201cmisrepresented himself at least 11 times,\u201d according to DHS, citing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records.<\/p>\n

The detention facility\u2019s administrator then \u201cdiscovered that Torres was passing a phone to multiple detainees and spoke to him,\u201d DHS said, adding that \u201cat that time, Torres admitted he was not an attorney and was visiting as a private citizen.\u201d<\/p>\n

DHS shared an image of a visitor log that showed Torres identifying himself as a \u201clawyer\u201d entering the facility to meet with a \u201cclient.\u201d He last visited the facility on Jan. 30, Fox News reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the fraudulent visit, officials reviewed past visitor logs and discovered Torres had repeatedly represented himself as a lawyer or said he was visiting for legal reasons,\u201d DHS said.<\/p>\n

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.@RepEscobar<\/a>\u2019s staffer, Benito Torres, repeatedly falsely claimed to be an attorney representing detainees \u2014 even signing federal paperwork attesting that he was legal counsel for specific individuals.<\/p>\n

The facility administrator discovered that Torres was passing a phone to\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/MlA0C6jXBq<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/73F0eisici<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A spokesperson for Escobar\u2019s office didn\u2019t immediately respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to Escobar Thursday asking her what she knew about her staffer\u2019s alleged lies, according to Fox News.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 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,\u201d Lyons wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a result of bringing a cell phone into the Camp East Montana facility, contrary to facility visitation policy, Mr. Torres\u2019 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 herby [sic] prohibited from accessing any ICE facility,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Escobar has repeatedly called for the ICE facility\u2019s closure following several detainee deaths and disease outbreaks.<\/p>\n

\u201cCamp East Montana \u2013 the $1.24 billion migrant detention facility in El Paso \u2013 has been disastrous and inhumane. DHS\u2019s plan to warehouse human beings here is even worse,\u201d Escobar wrote on X Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m proud of our local coordinated effort to prevent it. We won\u2019t stop until this horrific idea is rejected,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n