New Yorker Sues ICE, Claiming Free Speech Violation Over Email
WHO:
ABC News - David Streever was on a trip to Finland when federal officers visited his home.
ABC News - Paigelynn Gonyea was a poll worker during New York’s primaries.
CNN - David Streever, a U.S. citizen from Rochester, New York.
CNN - Todd Lyons, the then-acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
ABC News - Paigelynn Gonyea, a poll worker in New York.
ABC News - Markwayne Mullin, Secretary of Homeland Security.
CNN - Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a nonprofit civil rights group representing Streever.
ABC News - Lauren Bis, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
WHAT:
CNN - Streever's email to Lyons included a warning that his conscience would haunt him if he continued to justify the actions of officers who killed two American citizens in Minneapolis, stating, "You will seek to lose yourself, to escape the burden of knowing the truth about yourself."
ABC News - The lawsuit claims that the home visit, combined with repeated telephone messages and the visit to his hotel, caused "anxiety and distress, including fear of further retaliation from ICE agents for his email or future criticism of ICE and DHS policies and actions."
AP News - The lawsuit was filed on a Monday in Washington D.C. against ICE and several Department of Homeland Security officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
CNN - Streever's email to Lyons included a comparison of Lyons to a Nazi official, stating, "You are a monstrous human being and will go down in history as America’s Reinhard Heydrich, the butcher."
ABC News - Streever's email warned Lyons, "Even Trump will turn on you before the end, and you will be a sad, despised man who eats himself alive with shame at your own pathetic weakness."
AP News - The lawsuit claims that the actions of federal officers caused "anxiety and distress, including fear of further retaliation from ICE agents for his email or future criticism of ICE and DHS policies and actions."
CNN - Streever's lawsuit claims that the officers "went to extraordinary lengths to confront and intimidate him."
ABC News - The lawsuit was filed on a Monday in Washington D.C.
AP News - The lawsuit also names Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who stated that any allegation DHS is attempting to "squash" free speech is "categorically FALSE."
ABC News - Streever's lawsuit was filed in Washington D.C. against ICE and several Department of Homeland Security officials.
ABC News - The lawsuit claims that Streever's right to free expression was violated.
CNN - Streever filed a lawsuit against several Department of Homeland Security officials, claiming intimidation and violation of his First Amendment rights.
ABC News - Streever sent a critical email to Todd Lyons, calling him “a monstrous human being” and stating he “will never know peace.”
CNN - Streever received a warning from federal officers stating he “MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW.”
ABC News - Gonyea received a similar warning letter from federal officers regarding a social media post about Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer who fatally shot Renee Good.
WHERE:
CNN - Streever's home in Rochester, New York.
ABC News - A hotel in New York City where Streever was staying.
ABC News - A polling location in Syracuse, New York, where Gonyea was working.
WHEN:
CNN - Streever sent the email to Lyons on January 26.
CNN - Streever was visited by federal officers on June 23.
ABC News - Gonyea was visited by federal officers on June 23 during primary elections.
WHY:
CNN - The Department of Homeland Security stated that threats against its officers have increased exponentially since Trump began his second term, but the agency has frequently lumped in routine acts like filming immigration officers with more serious violent threats against officers.
CNN - The Department of Homeland Security stated that threats against its officers have increased exponentially since Trump began his second term.
CNN - The lawsuit is part of a broader debate surrounding Trump's immigration enforcement efforts, highlighting tensions between free speech and claims of threats against federal law enforcement.
CNN - Streever's email criticized ICE's actions following the fatal shooting of two American citizens, including Renee Good.
ABC News - The lawsuit claims that Streever's First Amendment rights were violated due to the warning he received.
HOW:
ABC News - Federal agents attempted to confront Streever at a hotel in New York City when he returned from Finland, but were turned away by hotel staff.
ABC News - Federal agents attempted to confront Streever at a hotel in New York City upon his return from Finland but were turned away by hotel staff.
CNN - Federal officers visited Streever's home and hotel to deliver a warning about his email.
ABC News - The Department of Homeland Security stated it investigates all credible threats towards its employees, including threats to the ICE Director.
(UPDATED July 7, 2026 10:09 UTC)
A lawsuit has been filed in Washington D.C. against ICE and several Department of Homeland Security officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, claiming that a home visit and repeated phone messages caused significant anxiety and fear of retaliation from ICE agents. In an email to Lyons, Streever warned that justifying the actions of officers who killed two American citizens in Minneapolis would haunt his conscience, stating, "You will seek to lose yourself, to escape the burden of knowing the truth about yourself." The Department of Homeland Security has reported a sharp increase in threats against its officers since Trump began his second term, often categorizing routine acts like filming immigration officers alongside more serious violent threats.
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(UPDATED July 7, 2026 04:18 UTC)
In a striking email, Streever compared Lyons to a Nazi official, calling him "a monstrous human being" and predicting he would be remembered as America's Reinhard Heydrich, the butcher. Streever also warned Lyons that even Trump would eventually turn against him, leading to a life of shame and despair. Meanwhile, the lawsuit claims that federal officers' actions have caused significant anxiety and fear of retaliation from ICE agents, a concern that has grown as threats against DHS officers have surged since Trump began his second term.
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(UPDATED July 7, 2026 01:35 UTC)
A new lawsuit has been filed in Washington D.C. by Streever, who claims that federal officers went to extraordinary lengths to confront and intimidate him, specifically naming Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who has denied any allegations that his department is trying to suppress free speech. The lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate surrounding Trump's immigration enforcement efforts, focusing on the tensions between free speech and perceived threats against federal law enforcement. It was reported that federal agents attempted to confront Streever at a hotel in New York City upon his return from Finland, but hotel staff intervened and turned them away.
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(UPDATED July 6, 2026 23:22 UTC)
David Streever, who was on a trip to Finland, has filed a lawsuit in Washington D.C. against ICE and several Department of Homeland Security officials, claiming that his right to free expression was violated. Upon his return to New York City, federal agents attempted to confront Streever at a hotel, but hotel staff turned them away. In related news, Paigelynn Gonyea served as a poll worker during New York’s primaries.
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(UPDATED July 6, 2026 17:54 UTC)
David Streever, a U.S. citizen from Rochester, New York, has filed a lawsuit against several Department of Homeland Security officials, claiming intimidation and a violation of his First Amendment rights after receiving a warning from federal officers regarding an email he sent to Todd Lyons, the then-acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In his email, Streever called Lyons “a monstrous human being” and criticized ICE's actions following the fatal shooting of two American citizens, including Renee Good. Similarly, Paigelynn Gonyea, a poll worker in Syracuse, New York, also received a warning letter from federal officers about a social media post related to the ICE officer involved in the shooting.