Key facts
- David Streever of Rochester, NY, received a warning from federal officers regarding an email he sent to ICE.
- The email, sent in January, criticized ICE's actions following a fatal shooting by an officer.
- Streever's attorney, Adam Steinbaugh, argues the email constitutes protected political speech.
- Another New York resident, Paigelynne Gonyea, also received a warning for a social media post about the ICE officer involved in the shooting.
- ICE stated it investigates all credible threats towards its employees and officers.
A second resident in upstate New York has reported being warned by federal officers for online activity critical of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). David Streever, of Rochester, received a notice after sending an email to the then-acting ICE director, Todd Lyons, in January. The email was sent in response to an immigration officer fatally shooting a resident during an anti-ICE demonstration.
Streever's attorney, Adam Steinbaugh of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), stated that two officers visited Streever's home while he was traveling and presented his wife with the warning. The notice described Streever's email as a threat, with Streever having called Lyons a "monstrous human being" and predicting negative consequences for him.
This incident occurred in the same week that poll worker Paigelynne Gonyea, of Syracuse, reported being approached by federal officers at a voting location. Gonyea received a warning for a social media post she made about the ICE officer, Jonathan Ross, who shot and killed Renee Good. Gonyea's post included a picture of Ross and suggested he should be indicted.
ICE representatives declined to comment on Streever's case, citing an ongoing investigation, but stated the agency investigates all credible threats towards its employees. Steinbaugh argued that Streever's email was protected speech and not a true threat, characterizing it as political speech and an act of petitioning the government.
Streever expressed his dismay, stating he felt compelled to act after the shootings and never imagined writing a letter to ICE's head would lead to federal officers knocking on his door. His attorney indicated Streever does not plan to contact the Department of Homeland Security further.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security stated that Gonyea committed a federal crime by sharing the ICE officer's address online and that the agency would investigate and bring to justice those who "dox" its officers.
Free speech advocates have highlighted these incidents as potential infringements on privacy and free expression, with the ACLU emphasizing that individuals should not be targeted by federal agents for expressing criticism of government actions.