Overview
- Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons informed Escobar in a March 18–19 letter that senior caseworker Benito Torres is barred from all ICE facilities.
- ICE-released visitor logs and paperwork indicate Torres identified himself as a lawyer or accredited representative at least 11 times between September 2025 and January 30, 2026.
- During a Jan. 30 visit to Camp East Montana at Fort Bliss, officials say Torres passed a cellphone to multiple detainees and then admitted he was not an attorney.
- ICE requested written answers on Torres’ licensure, his employment status during the visits, whether the visits were authorized, and what accountability steps Escobar plans to take.
- Escobar publicly called the allegations unfounded and accused the administration of intimidation while pressing concerns about conditions at the facility, and ICE has signaled potential further inquiry.