David Streever, a resident of upstate New York, has filed a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after federal officers visited his home to deliver a warning regarding an email he sent, the Associated Press reported. The legal action, which was filed Monday in Washington D.C., alleges that the agency violated Streever’s First Amendment rights when officers arrived at his Rochester residence in June to serve him with a notice claiming his previous communication constituted a threat.
Streever was traveling in Finland when the incident occurred, leaving his wife to handle the encounter with the two federal officers. His legal representation comes from the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a group that maintains the government overstepped its authority. Adam Steinbaugh, an attorney with the foundation, noted that the communication was political in nature. “This is very clearly within the protection of the First Amendment,” Steinbaugh said. “It was in the context of political speech.”
The email in question was sent in January to Todd Lyons, who was serving as the acting director of ICE at the time. Streever sent the message following the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by an immigration officer during an anti-ICE demonstration.
Streever’s case isn’t the only one in this regard
In the three-paragraph email, which used the subject line “What’s next,” Streever wrote, “You are a monstrous human being and will go down in history as America’s Reinhard Heydrich, the butcher.” The message continued, “The way you are protecting the obvious execution in Minnesota, even as we see the videos, will lead to your downfall. 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.”
The email concluded with the statement, “You will never know peace. You will seek to lose yourself, to escape the burden of knowing the truth about yourself. But wherever you go, you will find yourself. You will torment yourself until your last day on Earth.”
According to his attorneys, federal agents attempted to confront Streever again at a hotel in New York City upon his return from Finland, though hotel staff prevented the interaction. The lawsuit also names Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. A statement from Mullin’s office pushed back against the claims of constitutional infringement. “Any allegation DHS and its components are attempting to ‘squash’ free speech is categorically FALSE,” the statement read. It further added, “Anyone who assaults or threatens our law enforcement officers will face the consequences.”
Streever is not the only person in the region to face such an encounter. During the same week in June, federal officials visited Paigelynne Gonyea, a poll worker, while she was at a voting location during New York’s primaries. That visit was reportedly prompted by a social media post Gonyea made in January, which featured a picture of Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer involved in the shooting of Renee Good, along with the text, “I think today is a great day for Jonathan to be indicted.”
The Department of Homeland Security has taken a firm stance on the Gonyea case. Spokesperson Lauren Bis stated in June that Gonyea “committed a federal crime by posting the address of an ICE law enforcement officer online” and warned, “if you doxx our officers, we will investigate you, and you will be brought to justice.”
The New York Attorney General’s Office has confirmed it is aware of the contact between federal agents and both residents, and it is currently reviewing the interaction that occurred at the polling place. ICE representatives have previously declined to comment on the Streever matter, citing an ongoing investigation.
Published: Jul 7, 2026 07:00 pm