NEW: ICE & DHS are accusing one of Rep. Veronica Escobar's (D-TX) staffers of repeatedly falsely claiming to be a lawyer in order to enter an ICE detention facility, meet with detainees, and give them cell phones. ICE says logbooks show Benito Torres falsely claimed to be a lawyer 11 times and repeatedly signed federal G-28 forms falsely attesting that he was an attorney there to see his clients. ICE says during one visit, the facility administrator at Camp East Montana caught Torres giving a phone to multiple detainees and confronted him, and Torres admitted he wasn't a lawyer and was visiting as a private citizen. Torres is now banned from ICE facilities, and the ICE Director has sent a letter to Rep. Escobar, demanding to know if Torres made the "fraudulent visits" with authorization from her, and whether or not she will cooperate with a potential federal investigation into the incident. We have reached out to Rep. Escobar's office, which tells @FoxNews they are looking into it. Will update when we hear back. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) fired a staffer last year who had falsely claimed to be an attorney to gain entry to an ICE facility.

UPDATE: Rep. Escobar (D-TX) responds to ICE allegations in statement to @FoxNews: “Today, accusations were made 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.”