David Streever, a U.S. citizen from Rochester, New York, has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after officers visited his home to deliver a warning regarding an email he sent criticizing ICE leadership. The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C., claims that Streever's First Amendment rights were violated.
The incident occurred while Streever was traveling in Finland with his daughter. Officers handed a warning notice to his wife, stating that Streever's email, sent in January to then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, was considered a threat. The email criticized ICE's actions following the shooting of U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good during an immigration raid in Minneapolis.
In the email, Streever expressed strong disapproval of Lyons, using harsh language and historical references. The warning notice indicated that Streever might be in violation of federal law and urged him to cease his behavior, warning that it would be considered in future assessments of his actions.
Upon returning to the U.S., Streever was confronted by officers at a hotel, but staff prevented the officers from reaching him. Streever's attorney, Adam Steinbaugh, argues that the email constitutes protected speech under the First Amendment and does not represent a legitimate threat. Streever expressed shock at the federal response to his email and emphasized the importance of free speech.
The lawsuit seeks to halt what Streever describes as coercive actions by DHS and ICE against him for exercising his right to express his views. The complaint also references a separate incident involving another individual, Paigelynne Gonyea, who reported being confronted by federal officers regarding a social media post related to ICE.
A spokesperson for DHS denied the allegations of suppressing free speech, stating that Gonyea's actions constituted a federal crime for sharing the address of an ICE officer online.